Young Miners to Capitalise in Canberra: Thrifty Road Game Preview

GMHBA Ballarat Miners Roy Booker and Ken Horton are likely to draw heave attention in Canberra, creating the opportunity for their young teammates to step up. Anthony Fisher, Ash Constable and newcomer Nathan Sobey have shown they are capable of scoring in double figures, and could easily do so again if Booker and Horton get double-teamed. They will take on the Canberra Gunners Saturday evening from 7:30pm at the Belconnen Sports Centre, and the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence from 2pm on Sunday.

The Gunners are led by highly-credentialed import Garlon Green. Green is currently averaging 22 points and seven rebounds for the Gunners, and is supported by big man Matt Staff, who is pitching in to average a double-double of 15.5 points and 11 rebounds each game. Although the Gunners have been struggling to stay consistent, they are coming off of a doubleheader weekend that saw them get their largest win of the season, beating the Centre of Excellence, 111-89.

The Miners will then have a quick turnaround and take on the young, but talented Centre of Excellence team Sunday afternoon. The CoE has only won one game insofar, but the talented combination of Jack McVeigh and Xavier Cook, not to mention the advantage they may hold over the Miners with this being their only match-up for the weekend, may find them to be a tough opponent for the Miners. McVeigh has been leading the way for CoE, averaging 14.5 points, four rebounds, and two assists each game. Similarly, Xavier Cooks has also been a force for the young side, contributing 12 points at 47%, and 6.4 rebounds each game. While the experience of this team may not be very high, the heart is there, and playing on their home floor, they are not a team to be underestimated.

Ballarat has been playing their best and most exciting basketball of the season, and will only be looking to build upon the momentum they’ve been building from previous weeks. For the month of May, Booker has been averaging 32 points and nine assists each game, and doesn’t look to be slowing down after winning his second Player of the Week award. Equally outstanding has been the work of last round’s Player of the Week Horton, averaging a double-double of 22 points and 13.4 rebounds for the month of May. Should Booker and Horton be able to continue these extraordinary efforts, as well get considerable contribution from other key players in Fisher, Constable, Sobey, and captain Liam Gibcus, the Miners should have no trouble getting over the line against both teams this weekend. Keep up with the action by following the livestats at seabl.com.au.

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