BENDIGO Braves will look to consolidate their perfect start to the SEABL season in Canberra this weekend.

The Braves will pull double-duty, with a Friday night contest against Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence to be followed by a Saturday night clash against Canberra Gunners.

The ACT games will be the Braves third and fourth in a nine-day span after wins last weekend against defending champion Mount Gambier Pioneers (Friday night) and Albury-Wodonga Bandits (Sunday).

They enter the weekend as one of only two undefeated teams in the league at 4-0.

Star import Ray Turner said the challenge this weekend was to keep the momentum and morale going.

“It’s a great place to be, a great start to the season,” he said.

“With two games this weekend we hope to be 6-0.

“The team is very happy, but we can’t afford to get lackadaisical. I feel we are in a great place, but we want to try and get better and keep pushing.”

Turner, who made his way to the Bendigo this season following stints in the Queensland and Western Australia state leagues in the previous four years, has been one of the keys to the Braves’ resurgence after their 2017 campaign ended without finals qualification.

The power forward averaged 23 points, 20.5 rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots in last week’s wins.

Those numbers earned Turner his first SEABL player of the week nomination.

The Houston native and former two-year starter at Texas A&M felt his transition to the SEABL had been a remarkably smooth one, but hinted his best was still to come.

“I’m just picking it up and trying to get to that next level and do those things in this league that need to get done,” he said.

“I’ll keep pushing and keep training and that should show out in games.

“It’s been a process – normally when you come to a new team, it’s a process – but now I’m feeling good and everyone knows what I’m capable of.

“The players and I have a good feel for each other now.”

Meanwhile, the undefeated Braves women will also play two games in Canberra against the COE (Friday) and Canberra Capitals Academy (Saturday).

First-season Brave Ashleigh Karaitiana said coach Megan Moody’s team was expecting a pair of firm challenges on their first true road trip for the season.

“The COE girls will be tough – relentless. They are true blue collar workers, who keep running the whole game,” she said.

“We will have to keep our tempo up and show them how it’s done. You cannot take anything for granted against a team like that.”

“Canberra is going to be a tough one too, they have some really good guards, but as long as we stop them and take care of our stuff on offence and defence, we’ll have a good run.”