GEELONG Supercats point guard Jack Duck is more than familiar with the place he called Albury’s “fortress”.
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The 23-year old former Albury-Wodonga Bandit will face his old side for the third time in this Saturday’s first playoff at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre.
Duck laughed off the boos he copped from the home crowd when the two sides last met, back in round nine.
“I don’t think the crowd has any bad feelings towards me, and I certainly don’t have any towards them,” Duck said.
“It’s all a bit of fun I think.”
Duck said he had been trying to cast memories of the Bandits from his mind, and approach them how he would any other team.
“It’ll be weird going up against the Bandits in playoffs,” he said.
“There’ll be a bit emotion in it I’m sure, but all I can do is just take it as any other game.”
The Bandits have a 1-1 record against the Supercats this year, with each side picking up a win at home.
Duck said the Bandits’ impressive home record didn’t phase Geelong.
“All credit to them, they’ve turned their home deck a real fortress, but we’ve got one of the better away records in the competition as well,” Duck said.
“We know we’re capable of beating them.”
After last weekend’s exciting overtime win over southern conference champions Mt Gambier, Bandits coach Brad Chalmers said confidence was sky-high at the hideout.
“The team has had the belief that they’re capable of playing in big games all year, but it was really highlighted in the way we reeled in one of the best teams in the competition,” Chalmers said.
“The score fluctuated a bit last week, but I thought our consistency was up compared to earlier in the season.”
Chalmers said the Bandits’ ability to control the offence and tempo of the game would be critical.
“We match up pretty well against Geelong, but in the first game they took us away from our game plan.
“Our guys were able to get on top and control the game offensively the last time we played them.
“We’re feeling good, we’ve had a couple of weeks to be ready for this game, and the side has done well to be mentally prepared for it.”
Another big effort will be required from veteran pair Michael Watson and Matt de Koeyer to cover for injured shooter Daniel Sepokas.
The duo’s experience shone through against the Pioneers last Saturday, with Watson’s hustle in defence particularly impressive in Sepokas’ absence.
Tip-off against the Supercats will be at 7:30pm on Saturday in Albury.
