After spending the past four games away from FirstOntario Centre, the Hamilton Honey Badgers (7-5) hope some home cooking will turn their fortune around, after having gone 2-2 on the recent road trip. Hamilton faces the Fraser Valley Bandits (2-9), who have won its past two games and are looking to carry the momentum forward Saturday afternoon.

(Tickets available at Ticketmaster. Watch via CEBL TV or the CBC Gem App ).

Fraser Valley is coming off an impressive 85-72 win over the Guelph Nighthawks at Abbotsford Centre on Thursday night. The Bandits owned the inside game, outrebounding Guelph 53-40 and outscoring the Nighthawks in the paint 42-22. Fraser Valley got strong production from its bench, a 45-22 advantage, led by Jalen Kendrick, who was the game’s top scorer with 18 points, and completed the double-double with a game-high-tying 10 rebounds. The Bandits held Guelph’s most explosive player, Myck Kabongo, to just eight points and two assists in 33 minutes before fouling out.

Hamilton, which prides itself on defence, has loosened the reigns over recent games. The Honey Badgers have allowed an average of 104.3 points over its past three contests, while their opponents scored just 96.2 points on average during its first nine games. The team needs to do a better job of starting the game and the second half. Hamilton has only won one (June 22 at Guelph) of its past six opening quarters and has outscored its opponent in the third quarter just once (June 14 at Edmonton) in the past eight contests. While they have proven to successfully come from behind, getting out of the gates early would ease a lot of pressure on Head Coach and General Manager Chantal Vallée and her squad.

The Honey Badgers have taken both of the previous two meetings against Fraser Valley, however the May 29 game in Hamilton required overtime. If Fraser Valley can assert the same presence inside against the Honey Badgers on Saturday as they did Thursday against Guelph, they have a shot of winning three straight games. Hamilton has allowed 54.7 points in the paint over its past three games, compared to just 42.7 points on average throughout its previous nine contests. The inside game could be the deciding factor in this third meeting. In their head-to-head matchup, Hamilton has outrebounded Fraser Valley 104-74.

Both teams will be tired. Fraser Valley travelled across the country in between the two games days. Hamilton suffered flight delays to get into Edmonton early Thursday morning before turning around and heading home again throughout the night after its disappointing 102-92 loss to the Stingers. But that’s pro sports. The Honey Badgers will look to its fan base and the experience of a 4-1 record at FirstOntario Centre to break its two-game slide.

Hamilton can regain second place in the CEBL standings with a win Saturday night and an Edmonton loss in Guelph. While there is still lots of ball to be played, scoreboard watching has started with teams looking to secure a spot to the CEBL Championship Weekend in Saskatoon.

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

Fraser Valley (2-9) Hamilton (7-5)

0-2      Head-to-Head        2-0

93.5        PPG      104.0

.407 (59-145)       FG%      .452 (66-146)

.350 (21-60)        3FG%     .304 (21-69)

.774 (48-62)        FT%      .809 (55-68)

75 (20-55)      REB (OR-DR)        104 (31-73)

40       AST       38

39       TO      42

41      PTS off TO        60

57      BENCH PTS        29

May 22, 2019 at Fraser Valley: Hamilton 102, Fraser Valley 88

Leading scorers: Fraser Valley (R. Pryor, 22), Hamilton (J. Edwards, 24)

Leading rebounders: Fraser Valley (J. Bland, 5), Hamilton (R. Ejim, 16)

May 29, 2019 at Hamilton: Hamilton 106, Fraser Valley 99 (OT)

Leading scorers: Fraser Valley (T. Tate, 23), Hamilton (D. Denzel-Dyson, 32)

Leading rebounders: Fraser Valley (D. Bachynski, 9), Hamilton (J. Rocca, 9)