Northern Force vs. Ballarat

WENDOUREE, Australia (Interstat) — The Ballarat Rush will look to extend their winning momentum Sunday when they host the Northern Force at Wendouree in a matchup of teams jostling for position in the Australia NBL women’s standings.

Ballarat (9-7) enters the game after a 95-78 road win over Casey on Saturday, powered by a dominant performance from forward Camille Hobby, who tallied 30 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one block in 34 minutes. Hobby, a consistent scoring threat, has scored at least 17 points in three of her last four games and 30 points in two of her past five, including a 26-point, 11-rebound effort against Hobart on May 24. Guard Malia Fisher added nine points and 18 rebounds in the win over Casey, and guard Casey Samuels contributed 18 points.

The Force (7-8) are coming off a 109-90 loss at Mount Gambier on Friday, a defeat that snapped a modest two-game winning streak. Forward Rebekka Kalaydjiev played all 50 minutes in that contest, recording 22 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and one block. Kalaydjiev has been a workhorse for Northern Force, logging at least 37 minutes in each of her last four games. She posted a double-double with 10 rebounds and seven points in a win over Hobart on May 30 and has recorded at least six rebounds in all but one of her recent outings.

Sunday’s game is the only scheduled meeting between the two sides this season. Ballarat, which has split its last four games, will look to improve on a 5-3 home record. The Rush are 4-1 in games decided by 10 points or fewer this season, a mark of clutch performance.

Northern Force, which is 3-4 on the road, will rely on its depth. Guard Parker Hill scored 26 points with nine rebounds in the Mount Gambier loss, and guard Sarah O’Neill added 22 points.

Tipoff is at 2 p.m. local time. The game is the first of a three-game road stretch for Northern Force, which will face Sandringham on June 19 and Eltham on June 27. Ballarat will travel to Geelong on June 20 before returning home to host Waverley on June 27.