In what is sure to be an exciting match-up, the GMHBA Ballarat Miners have the opportunity to pull off a huge upset this weekend as they take on the top-ranked Geelong Supercats this Saturday night from 8pm at the MARS® MINERDOME in the Power FM-K Rock Cup.
Geelong has been having an extraordinary season so far. Currently on an 8-game winning streak and at the top of the ladder with only one loss, the Miners being able to attain a win against the Supercats will be no small feat. Import Mike Mercer is their go-to player and leading scorer (averaging 20.1 points per game), however, Geelong’s depth has helped the side over the line on many occasions. Nick Owusu, big man Eric Gaff and captain Nathan Herbert provide solid support for Mercer, as they are all averaging over double figures and all have the ability to step up in the event of an off-night for their import.
While Geelong, on paper, may seemingly hold a few advantages over Ballarat, the Miners have been playing incredible basketball as of late. Roy Booker is leading the league in scoring at 28.6 points a game, leading the league in assists per game, is third in the league in three-point field goal percentage, and has recently received Player of the Month recognition for the month of May. Similarly, Ken Horton is averaging a double-double each game, shooting the ball at 50.5% for 19.6 points a game, as well as leading the league in rebounds at 12.6 per game. Young locals Anthony Fisher and Nathan Sobey have risen to the top as well, both averaging 14 points apiece—with Fisher leading the league in three-point percentage at 46%—to add to the Miners’ depth and cause problems for the opposition’s defence.
A win for the Miners this weekend has the potential to bolster them into the third-place spot on the ladder, giving them an even more secure spot as the finals race in the East conference starts to intensify. Tip-off will start from 8pm at the MARS® MINERDOME, following the Integra Ballarat Rush, who will take on the Geelong Supercats from 6pm.