BASKETBALL
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IT'S a wait that must have felt like an eternity for the Bathurst Goldminers with the team set to bounce back into women's State League Basketball action against the Goulburn Bears this round after a month and a half break.
At 5pm tomorrow night at the Bathurst Indoor Sports Stadium the Goldminers play host to the Bears for the third time this season.
Goldminers have won four times from as many matches this year to sit second on the ladder.
While the draw hasn't been conducive to building up match time, the team have focused on their training regime in a bid to keep their loft place on the ladder.
Not only is the team getting set to welcome back State League action, but are also looking forward to the first matches from Emily and Jess Mathews.
Both players come into the team after finishing their respective representative duties.
"Emily is in the under 18s team which I coach so I'm well aware of what she's capable of, and Jess was in Youth League last year as well. I'm looking forward to having them play," Goldminers coach Jo Cafe said.
"We've been training consistently, twice a week. It's been good to see that the girls are so committed and trying to keep up their match fitness."
Third time around will see the Goldminers take in their strongest squad of the season with 12 players to pick from and now guaranteed the services of Rachel Murray for the rest of the season.
Murray was set to leave overseas this month, but a change of plans will see her remain in Bathurst colours.
The Goldminers have rarely been troubled on the past two occasions by the Bears with scores of 100-38 and 78-57. For Cafe it's a match she not only expects to take out again, but do so convincingly.
"I can't see there being any way that we will lose this game," she said.
"In the second time we played them we were short that game with only seven or eight players available. We were also coming off a couple of games before then having to travel. I can't see a score like that happening again.
"I think we'll just focus on developing our strengths. We will end up running into Newcastle and Queanbeyan who will have the size on us. We need to develop our speed and our transitions down the court and also playing good defence, preventing their tall players from getting into the paint."
BATHURST GOLDMINERS: Teagan Burke (c), Alysha Booth, Hannah Cafe, Bronte Emanuel, Riley Smith, Chelsea Noon, Laycee Covington, Mary-Anne Porter, Rachel Murray, Olivia Patterson, Jess Matthews, Emily Matthews