One of the most dynamic rivalries in the NBL is set to step up a notch this week when the South Dragons go head-to-head with the Melbourne Tigers in a crucial cross-town showdown.

With the season tally locked at one game apiece the winner of Wednesday’s clash will not only shore up its championship charge, but will secure bragging rights over its newfound foe.

The Tigers are the local stalwarts of the league, a gritty and hardworking outfit who are desperately trying to maintain a grip on the city that was once theirs and theirs alone. In their way stand the Dragons, new kids on the block who are out to spoil Melbourne’s party once and for all.

The history between the two clubs is not long but it’s fierce. The two first met at Vodafone Arena in Round 5 last year, a match-up that saw the Tigers draw first blood with a 20-point win. Despite sharp shooting from Frank Drmic and Joe Ingles and flashes of brilliance behind the arc from Shane Heal, the Dragons went down in the inaugural clash.

Fast-forward to Boxing Day and the tables were turned, as the Dragons shocked Melbourne out of a post-Christmas slumber to romp home by 13 points. Rosell Ellis and Kavossy Franklin were on fire for South, but it was the efforts of rookie Joe Ingles that had the 10,000-strong crowd on its feet.

Ingles’ coming-of-age display included 28 points, five rebounds and seven assists. After a run of promising efforts early in the season, it was the Boxing Day derby that confirmed Ingles’ worth on the national stage. The rookie will be one to watch this Wednesday night as he again sets out to wreak havoc with the Tigers’ defence.

Despite Ingles’ rise to eminence South are far from a one-man band and will need to be firing from all corners to topple Melbourne at the Cage. Ellis, Franklin, Heal, Holmes and Drmic will lead the Dragons’ charge against the tall Tigers, who sit third on the NBL ladder and boast an ominous 10-2 record at home.

Melbourne’s big three - Rashad Tucker, Chris Anstey and Darryl McDonald - loom as the main danger for the Dragons, but South have beaten the trio once before and are full of confidence leading into the clash. Likely match-ups between veterans Shane Heal and Darryl McDonald and Joe Ingles and Rashad Tucker will prove key to the result.

Pride is on the line this week. With the season locked at 1-1 and a parochial crowd expected to fill the stands, this is one clash the Dragons want to win. And while the odds favour the Tigers, the Dragons are sure to give the Cage one almighty shake.

Melbourne Tigers v South Dragons
Wednesday, January 10 @ the Cage
Tip-off 7:40pm