The Ararat Redbacks will be hoping to avoid a fifth-straight defeat when they face Mount Gambier in round nine of the CBL South West Men's competition.
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Round eight saw the Redback suffer a 101-72 loss at home to Horsham on November 25 before a 73-57 defeat by Warrnambool on November 26.
![Fletcher Burger dunks during the round eight CBL match against Horsham at the Ararat Fitness and Leisure Centre on Saturday, November 25. Picture by Lucas Holmes Fletcher Burger dunks during the round eight CBL match against Horsham at the Ararat Fitness and Leisure Centre on Saturday, November 25. Picture by Lucas Holmes](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/203448486/6999702a-b4b4-4db0-8088-a561cf5d5db2.JPG/r0_0_1920_1280_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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Fletcher Burger got the home side off to a strong start against the ladder-leading Hornets as a dunk opened his account.
The Redbacks showed intensity on its defensive end as they took a 21-16 lead at quarter-time.
However, the Hornets strangled the Redbacks on offence before a flurry of three-pointers reduced the deficit to eight points at half-time.
Ararat could not contain a potent Hornets offence in the second half, as it scored 59 points.
Burger top-scored for the Redbacks with 18 points, whilst DJ Woods (16), Farrell Maharaj and Blake Thomas (10) put up double digits.
The Redbacks backed up the following afternoon against the Seahawks in Warrnambool.
Following a first quarter that saw the Redbacks trail by five, the offence went to work in the second.
A 21-point term saw Ararat enter the half-time break level.
Although, similarly to the Hornets match, points were hard to come by.
The Redbacks were held to 21 points in the second half, as Warrnambool took the 16-point win.
There was an even spread of scorers for Ararat as eight players found themselves on the scoresheet.
Thomas top-scored with 14 points, as Fletcher Burger and Jezza Woods both had 14.
Ararat enters the match against Mount Gambier with a 2-6 record.
It will be their second meeting with the 2022/23 champions, with the Lakers taking a 34-point win on October 15.
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