A MOVE to the Minerdome has allowed Horsham duo Cass Hobbs and Shaun Bruce to take their basketball to a whole new level.Their hard work has been rewarded with some serious court-time in the South East Australian Basketball League this year.Bruce, 19, is in his debut season with the Wes Davidson Real Estate Miners while Hobbs, 21, is in her second season on the Ballarat Community Health Lady Miners' roster.Playing with the Miners has started to grow on Bruce.When he moved to Ballarat in January, Bruce was keen to learn from decorated Miners head coach Guy Molloy before making a bid to play college basketball in the United States.Seven months in and Bruce is contemplating a stay in town."I'm still looking into it (college basketball), but there's also the Miners and a chance to stay and play in Australia," Bruce said."To play at the top in Australia in the NBL, that's definitely a dream."Bruce's brother Aaron was a member of the Australian Boomers' 2006 world championship team.While he has learnt a lot from watching his brother, Bruce has absorbed plenty from his Miners team-mates.Bruce seized his chance for a promotion in the Miners' line-up, up from the club's D-League team, when a rule change allowed prospective United States college students to play in the SEABL.The former Horsham Hornets guard said in terms of senior basketball, moving his game to Ballarat had been a big step.Hobbs, like Bruce was a Victorian representative junior and had been exposed to top state players and coaches. She too, said taking her game to Ballarat had been a big challenge."There's a huge difference with the coach and more opportunities but there have been a lot of good basketballers to come out of Horsham the past 10 years," Hobbs said."But there was never really anything for girls at the next level in Horsham."Hobb said the serious basketball players trained together in Horsham. Even though, Bruce was a bit younger, she knew him well and both enjoyed having a familiar face from home about the Minerdome this season.Hobbs, a former Ballarat Clarendon College boarder, is used to the Lady Miners' demanding training and playing schedule.She served a four-year apprenticeship with Ballarat Lady Nuggets in the Big V Youth League.After debuting with the Lady Miners last season, she has enjoyed fine-tuning her game in a more experienced line-up this season.Hobbs was unsure where her game would take her.She has one year of physical education studies left at the University of Ballarat.After that, she could seize whatever chances came her way.Hobbs and Bruce's campaigns continue in a Ballarat-Bendigo blockbuster double header at the Minerdome on Saturday night for The Courier-Bendigo Advertiser Cup.