Just a bit of heartburn, Daniel Sepokas thought, as he got up one morning and went about his day.

The shooting guard had not long returned to Albury-Wodonga to rejoin the Bandits, the team he had first burst onto the SEABL scene with in 2015.

He’d been a key component of a team that was frequently dominant on the way to a conference championship, a vital outside shooter in a starting five featuring three league All-Stars that year.

He thought so little of the lingering discomfort throughout the day, but it persisted through training that evening.

When Sepokas awoke to it once again in the morning, he knew something was wrong.

A trip to the emergency room revealed a spontaneous pneumothorax, or collapsed lung.

After initial treatments failed, Sepokas had to go to Melbourne for surgery.

It was only last weekend, on the road against Canberra, that he could finally get back on the court.

By his own admission, he was rusty.

Those familiar with Sepokas’ game will know a line of nine points, three assists and five turnovers was out of character – a sign he’d been out for a while.

The sharpshooter heated up in the final quarter though, hitting a couple of big shots to guide the Bandits to a much-needed win.

“The first three quarters I think I was a bit too hyped,” he said.

“I overthrew some passes, missed a few layups.

“Getting a few stops got me in the moment, into the game, then Deba (George) hit me for an open three.

“I’ve been looking forward to finding a bit of chemistry with these guys, and hopefully we can make a bit of a run in the next few weeks.” 

That run will be crucial the Bandits’ finals hopes – and it will have to start by making their home court a fortress.

They’ll look to shake off two bad losses at home when they face the equally precariously placed Geelong Supercats on Saturday night.

Tip-off is at 8pm at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre.