THE Bendigo Bank Braves have kept their SEABL play-off destiny in their own hands, while also giving a timely reminder of just how dangerous a proposition they can still be should they finish in the top four.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The inconsistent Braves rose to the occasion against arch-rivals Ballarat on Saturday night, defeating the Miners 94-80 at the Bendigo Stadium.
Ballarat had gone into the grudge match on top of the south conference ladder.
However, the Miners tumbled to third, while the victory kept the fifth-placed Braves (11-11) breathing down the necks of North-West Tasmania (11-10) ahead of the two teams facing off in Bendigo next Saturday night.
“Every time we have our backs against the wall or are written off we have been able to respond and we did that again,” Braves coach Ben Harvey said.
“One of the things we know this year is that when we have 40-plus defensive stops in games we win. We had 42 on Saturday night and played really good team basketball with guys stepping up at different stages.”
The Braves were given a lift with the return to the court of co-captain Taylor Bell from injury for only his fourth game of the season and first since May 7.
In just over 18 minutes on court Bell recorded five points, two rebounds, one assist and one block.
“His body still isn’t right, but to have him on the floor with his leadership, it really helped gel our group,” Harvey said.
Along with Bell returning, the Braves had co-captain Chris Hogan produce his best game of what has been an injury-interrupted season.
Hogan – closing in on 400 SEABL games – nailed five three-pointers in his season-high tally of 17 points, while also hauling down eight rebounds.
As well as Hogan contributing 17 points, the Braves had Dyami Starks (24 points, eight assists, three steals), C.J. Aitken (20) and Adam Doyle (17) score in double figures, with Doyle also sinking five three-pointers.
With 11 rebounds to go with his 20 points, it was import Aitken’s 17th double-double in his 21 games this season.
The Braves were only two points up at three quarter-time – 68-66 – before outscoring Ballarat 26-14 in the last term.
The Braves broke the game open with a 12-0 last-term run in which they turned what had been a 70-68 advantage with 8:45 left into an 80-68 lead with 6:58 remaining.
Craig Moller led Ballarat’s scoring with a game-high 26 points, which included a half-court three on the half-time buzzer.
Saturday’s result was a 28-point reversal on their meeting earlier this year, which the Miners won by 14.
The Braves are now 11-9 in their past 20 encounters against their fiercest of foes.