HORSHAM Hornets and Mt Gambier Lakers will go head-to-head in the Country Basketball League match of the round on Sunday.
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The Lakers got the better of the Hornets in last year’s south-west conference grand final and the Hornets are looking to turn the tables at the weekend.
But before they clash with the competition’s top team, the Hornets travel to Warrnambool on Saturday to take on the Seahawks.
The Hornets women will also play a double-header, while the Stawell Wildcats men and women will host the Lakers on Saturday night.
Hornets men’s co-coach Cam Bruce returns to the line-up and hopes the Hornets can maintain their undefeated status.
Horsham dominated its match against Warrnambool a fortnight ago, 88-55.
“I missed the last time we played them, but from what I hear they’ve got a really young side and they’re very tall,” Bruce said.
“Our big guys will have to work especially hard to combat their height, and because of their youth we’re expecting a lot of speed in their legs.”
Bruce said Damien Skurrie would miss Saturday’s clash with work commitments but would play against the Lakers.
He said co-coach Mark Dorward would miss Sunday’s game to coach juniors in Warrnambool.
Bruce said the Hornets had been working on ways to combat the Lakers’ impressive line-up, led by brothers Simon and Matt Berkefeld.
“Simon is averaging about 28 points a game – it’s going to be a team effort to slow him down and stop him from scoring,” he said.
“We’ve got to play our own game while putting pressure on them to turn the ball over.
“Our offensive side will take care of itself. We don’t find we have trouble scoring – we need to concentrate on shutting them down.”
Bruce encouraged Horsham residents to attend Sunday’s matches.
“When the crowd gets behind us it’s like having an extra player on the court,” he said.
“Both the men and women really appreciate the support, so we’d love people to come down to watch.”
The men’s match starts at 2pm, with the women’s to tip off at noon.
The Hornets women started their season with a thrilling one-point win over Warrnambool Mermaids on October 19.
Coach Sharon Fedke said the women were in for a tough weekend.
“We’re playing against the top two teams in the competition,” she said.
“It’s going to be hard playing away at Warrnambool on Saturday and fronting up at home against the Lakers on Sunday.
“Hopefully we put in two really good performances.”
Fedke said Annie Brack would debut for the Hornets against the Mermaids, while Caitlin Story would play her first game of the season on Sunday.
The Stawell Wildcats men will host Mt Gambier at Stawell Leisure Complex on Saturday at 8pm.
The Wildcats will be buoyed by their first win since entering the competition two seasons ago.
They enjoyed a comprehensive victory over newcomer Timboon Taipans but will have their work cut out for them against the Lakers.
The Wildcats women are searching for their first win and will clash with the Lakers at 6pm.