Raiders on top

By Tania Martin
Knox Raiders 96 d Bendigo Braves 86
THE Knox Ford Raiders are on top of the world this week after claiming their first men’s SEABL title in a decade with a masterful 96-86 win at Bendigo on Saturday night.
In a brilliant display of team-orientated basketball, the Raiders overcame a nervous start to outscore the Braves 29-16 in the opening period, setting the tone for what would become one of the club’s most memorable games in history.
Strong shooting, a resilient defence and a superior touch from the foul line continually kept the Raiders ahead of Bendigo, but even when the margin closed it was evident Knox was on a mission to succeed.
Up by three points at half-time, the Raiders again put together some blistering moves during the third period, with Craig Simpson proving to be a handful for the Braves, along with Glenn Siegle and Gerard Leonard.
Sean Carroll and CJ Massingale provided a spark down the stretch with superb defensive pressure, which forced the home team into a number of errors, while giant centre Cameron Koford performed strongly at both ends.
As the final buzzer sounded a large throng of Knox supporters burst into song and dance, cheering the Raiders loudly as the presentations took place.
Not surprisingly, Simpson (28 points, 12 rebounds) was named the grand final MVP, while Siegle (23 points) and Leonard (16 points) contributed good numbers.
Coach Damian Cotter was understandably full of praise for his team and was full of smiles after claiming his first SEABL title as coach of the Raiders.
The Raiders will now head to Newcastle this week for the national titles.
Meanwhile, the club’s two Youth League teams lost their respective grand finals series against Dandenong at the weekend.
The men exited after game two, while the women pushed their series into a third game after recording a thrilling win on Saturday night. However, a 10-point loss on Sunday resulted in dual Youth League wins for the Rangers.