A FULLY fit Alicia Froling looms as the biggest stumbling block ahead of the Ballarat Miners women as they look to continue their winning streak this weekend against Knox.
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With an 8-5 record with three wins on the trot, including a last gasp win over second-placed Ringwood last weekend, the Miners are chock full of confidence.
Froling spent last season with Ballarat, but battled at times as she was still trying to recover from a wrist injury which has bothered her since her college days. She still took out the club's MVP at the end of the season as she stood-up as the only tall in the side.
This season she has lifted again and is averaging 21 points and more than 10 rebounds a game and looms as a thorn in the side of Miners centre Zitina Aokuso and fellow tall Kristy Rinaldi.
Rinaldi told The Courier this week that the big centre loomed as a huge threat.
"Alicia really struggled at time last year with her wrist injury," Rinaldi said.
"She's gone and completely changed hands now, she's now a left hand shooter and it's working really well for her, she's no doubt one of their big threats.
"I know for sure she'll be keen to have a big game against us.
"They are a side with some real quality WNBL players, we know it's going to be another tough game, but we're up to it. If we want to make finals and be there at the end of the season, these are the game we have to start winning."
It's been well documented the Miners have a tough run home with five of their last nine games against teams in the top eight, including the Raiders this week who also have an 8-5 record.
But after nine years outside the finals, Rinaldi said the whole group was excited to see what they could achieve in the final weeks.
"Hopefully we can keep on going and take it into Knox this weekend," she said.
"They will be another tough game this weekend and if we want to play finals and keep pushing we have to win these games.
"It's exciting to be coming down to the later part of the season, hopefully we can pinch some games and go higher up the ladder, it's been a long time."
Rinaldi said there was no doubt the finals fire still burned bright.
"It's been a long time that's for sure," she said. "You cherish every moment. It takes a lot to get back to make finals and once you're in finals anything can happen.
"Last time we made finals was 2013, so I'm just happy to be playing well, the girls are playing well and winning and anything is possible. In 2013 we came in at fourth spot and we managed to push all the way to the conference final, you've got to be in it for the end of the season, and then we'll go from there."
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