Both teams will face-off against Nunawading on Saturday night and then host Geelong on Sunday.

After five games in the men’s draw the Braves are three and two.

Taylor Bell says the team is just taking one game at a time.

“We are still trying to gel together as a group as we have a pretty new team this season,” he said.  

“There is about six new players in the group so it is always tough early in the year to have some continuity with the six new players in the group but we are improving every week.

“As long as we improve each week leading up to the finals I think we will be in good stead.”

Bell the next two games would test the Braves.

“We have a few tough games coming up, we had one last week against a top team in Mount Gambier,” he said.

“Now we have Nunawading and Geelong who are benchmark teams in our league this week.

“This week it will give us a real test of where we are at and what we need to improve on.”

Over the Easter long-weekend both Bendigo had some time off.

Lady Braves import La Sondra Barrett said she is fitting into the team nicely.

“I have been training a lot and getting to know the girls a lot, which will help me on and off the court,” she said.

“I have been learning a lot of the plays and getting used to playing with everybody, we will definitely get better.”

The Lady Braves are sitting in third position in SEABL south conference ladder, having only lost to rivals Ballarat in overtime.  

“The loss was tough for us so right now we are working on things we can improve on,” Barrett said.

“I am working on my individual game, working on things that I need to improve on that I think can help us win.”

Barrett said the team had to prepare differently to play back-to-back games.

“It is different because it is a double header but you just have to be mentally strong to be able to come out Saturday and play hard for 40 minutes and then do the same exact thing on Sunday,” she said.

“It is more mental than physical just because the turnaround is so short but it is nothing that we can’t do.”

The Lady Braves tip-off against Geelong at noon and the Braves will play at 2pm.  

The Young Braves and the Young Lady Braves will also take to the court at Bendigo Stadium on Sunday.

While the Young Lady Braves, playing in the Victorian Youth Women’s Championships, will play the Melbourne Tigers at 10am.

The Young Braves, playing in the Youth League One division, will play the Werribee Devils at 4pm.