THE Albury-Wodonga Bandits have it all to play for this weekend.
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The defending conference champions crept into the finals on the back of an 11-13 record and some favourable results, but captain Jack Duck says their early season troubles have been left in the rear-view mirror.
The Bandits’ Australian engine-room of Darcy Harding, Ben Kearins, Duck, Josh Morgan and Clay McMath have gathered earlier than usual before their Thursday night training session at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre.
It’s clear that the group are tight-knit – a robust discussion about likely contenders for the SEABL’s various end of year awards is frequently interrupted by moments of incredulity at the feats of the junior game being played just metres away.
Flash back to round 11 and things weren’t as rosy for the Bandits.
A poor loss at home to wooden-spooners Frankston was followed by a 26-point shellacking at the hands of Mt Gambier.
Left with a 7-9 record mid-season, something had to change.
Fortunately, it did.
Though the spasmodic win-loss record continued in the next month, in every game bar one (a tough loss to Hobart at home), the Bandits found themselves in a winning position every week.
Intensity on the defensive end lifted, Harding was injected into the starting line-up, Deba George began to find his range.
On the road to Geelong in a semi-final, Duck says the team is ready for anything.
“We've definitely been showing a better style of basketball for the last month or so,” he said.
“Last weekend (a 105-108 overtime loss to Bendigo) was pretty disappointing though, even though it didn't matter in the end.
“To knock off the top team would have been nice, it was disappointing to lose.
“But to play the way we did, fight it out the way we did was very pleasing.”
Duck himself is no stranger to the finals, having won a championship with the Bandits back in 2012 before a second finals run, albeit with Geelong, last year.
“It's been a big rivalry for the last couple of year, I've been on both ends of it so there's a bit of fun there,” he said.
“I'm looking forward to going down there and hopefully doing what the Bandits did to Geelong last year.
“We don't have to worry about next week or results going our way now, it's a bit easier to prepare.
“It's one game, all or nothing, that suits us just fine.
“The record doesn’t matter now, all we can do is play.”
Tip-off for the semi-final is at 7:30pm at the Geelong Arena.