The St Laurence Geelong Supercats and the Ballarat Miners will kick off the SEABL's most heated rivalry when they meet at the Arena on Saturday night. Any showdown between the two powerhouses has a heightened sense of anticipation but this latest chapter may shape the season for the Supercats in particular.

Currently third in the East Conference, the Supercats are one game behind the Canberra Gunners (1st) and Australian Institute of Sport (2nd) but have one game up their sleeve and a greater percentage than the AIS.

The roots of the rivalry trace back to 1997 when the Supercats first entered the league. Since then, the two clubs have forged the most traditional Victoria-based rivalry in the ABA with the head-to-head record standing at 9-9 and an average winning margin of just 10 points.

Ballarat took the first battle this season with a 12-point victory (113-101) at the Minerdome.

Supercats shooting guard Jamie Medved likens the battles with Ballarat to a cut-throat final regardless of the stage of the season. "No matter where we are on the ladder, you always get yourself up for a game against Ballarat," he said. "Both clubs have big arenas and play in front of the biggest crowds so there's always a finals type atmosphere. I think that's why the games are always so close."

This Saturday night, on the biggest stage, is the SEABL's equivalent of the AFL's Anzac Day clash.

Arguably the two biggest basketball clubs in Victoria (outside the NBL), Ballarat and Geelong have the best winning percentages in the history of the SEABL and are perennial finals contenders. Ballarat heads the list with a total winning percentage of 68.05 from more 500 games and the Supercats just behind with 64.07 per cent from more 250.

Even American Jamal Brown, who has played in this part of the world for only three years, says he prepares for a war when the Miners come to town. "I definitely feel it, not so much from me but the guys around me; you can sense they lift for games against Ballarat. There's a different feel around the club when it gets close to game night, there's a bit more excitement," Brown said. "I think this weekend will probably be even bigger because it's big game for both teams."

Supercats captain Jarrod Leonard, who has played in almost every clash, says the rivalry was not born out of a dislike between the two cities but rather a series of close games in the early days. "I don't think it started as a personal thing between the players or coaches, it was just how good the games were between the two when we first started playing each other back in 1997 - when we first entered the league," Leonard said. "Those first couple of years nearly every game went down to the wire and they were really exciting games to watch. So now the players have something to live up to and more often than not they do."

If history is any guide, Saturday night promises an intense atmosphere with every shot and rebound worth fighting for.