“HOWZAT!?!”
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The Albury-Wodonga Bandits swapped baskets for bats and alley-oops for lbws this week in a novel way to try to get their sputtering SEABL season back on track.
Having lost six straight games, coach Brad Chalmers took the team for an impromptu indoor cricket session on Tuesday night.
And while it was all in good fun, Chalmers admitted it also served a purpose, with several players pulling up sore after last week’s road double against Ballarat and Kilsyth.
“It’s always good to mix things up,” Chalmers said.
“We had some people away and a few were sore as well, so it was great to do something different.
“It’s a long season and the boys really enjoyed it.
“There was plenty of banter and it just refreshes everyone.”
The Bandits take on the Bendigo Braves tomorrow night at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre and Chalmers said while he saw some good signs in the overtime defeat to the Miners, his players still needed to trust each other more.
Sitting last in the east conference with a 1-7 record, the Border outfit desperately needs to get a home win on the board.
“We’re just trying to find a rhythm with five players on the floor right now,” Chalmers said.
“I was really pleased with the Ballarat game, yeah there were patches where we didn’t play well but there was that hunger to get a win.
“We still need to improve our ball movement and consistently playing for each other.
“If we just go through the motions and not grind it out, it will be a struggle.”
Chalmers was in no doubt the Braves, sitting fifth in the south conference after an inconsistent start of their own, would come out firing.
Led by imports Dustin Salisbery (20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds) and Zach Atkinson (19 points, 8.6 boards), the Braves will also get a boost with former Sandringham guard Josh Wilcher teaming up with Kevin Probert in the backcourt.
“Every team we play thinks we’re wounded and will come after us,” Chalmers said.
“So we need to be aggressive and stop that from happening.”