Miners Crush Braves in Dominant Season Opener

Ballarat finished with a commanding 109-75 win over Bendigo on Saturday at Selkirk Stadium, securing a 34-point victory to start their season. The Ballarat side dominated through efficient shooting, hitting 53.5 percent from the field compared to Bendigo's 41.7 percent. Majok Majok was unstoppable with a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds while Luke Rosendale added 19 points including five triples at 62.5 percent from outside. The home team's ball movement was exceptional, dishing out 21 assists to Bendigo's 10, leading to a 33-point contribution from their bench. Bendigo struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 20.7 percent of their three-point attempts. Justin Johnson put up 24 points but needed 18 shots to get there and committed six turnovers. The visitors couldn't capitalize at the charity stripe either, converting only 52.9 percent of their free throws compared to Ballarat's 74.1 percent, and were outscored 19-6 in points off turnovers. **BALLARAT MINERS 109 (Majok Majok 24, Luke Rosendale 19, Nicholas Stoddart 18).** **BENDIGO BRAVES 75 (Justin Johnson 24, Lachlan O'Brien 14, Josiah Pattinson 11).** #NBL1South #GameDay