Knox Raider Mehmed Bektas takes the ball to the basket in a game against the Mt GambierIN arguably their best performance of the season, the Knox Ford Raiders pushed aside the Mt Gambier Pioneers by 47 points on Saturday night in one of the most comprehensive displays witnessed at Knox Converse Stadium.
A crowd of nearly 1000 vocal fans were left appreciatively shaking their heads in amazement as the Raiders, without injured imports C.J. Massingale and Cameron Koford, plucked the Pioneers with pure guts and determination.
Both out with minor injuries, Massingale and Koford sat on the bench and continually applauded a young, exuberant and deadly accurate Raiders outfit that literally gave every Pioneer player a thumping headache.
The opening quarter was a showcase of pressure defence and committed teamwork. The sheer ability to hold any team at the SEABL men’s level to just nine points in a quarter is an incredible feat.
Not only did Knox accomplish it, but they also found their shooting range early and went on to round out the first half with an unassailable 47-23 lead.
The Raiders continued to increase their lead early in the second half, at which point it all became too much for Pioneers’ playing-coach Jason Sedlock who confronted the referees and was subsequently ejected from the game.
The onslaught lifted another level in the last quarter as the Raiders perfected steals and forced turnovers at on end, then used the driving lanes with precision in offence to hit some sensational shots.
Sharing the workload was a key factor for the young Raiders, which drew high praise from coach Damian Cotter, with no less than seven players netting double figures.
“It was a great result when you consider the circumstance we were in with injuries to C.J. and Cameron,” said Cotter.
“It was a good opportunity for our kids to step up, which they did, but we’ve got two big games coming up against Geelong and Bendigo, so it’s important we use this win as the launching pad in the weeks ahead.”
Mehmed Bektas top scored with 18 points, Gerard Leonard landed 16 points, while Craig Simpson (14 points), Luke Solomon (14 points), Alex Prince (13 points), Glen Siegle (12 points) and Sean Carroll (12 points, 12 rebounds) all chipped in with valuable contributions.
Meanwhile, Knox’s women were all smiles upon their return from Tasmania where they celebrated two wins and enjoyed the inclusion of new recruit Megan Moody.
The Raiders beat North West Tasmania 95-83 on Saturday night and then followed up with a 74-54 victory in Launceston on Sunday.
Moody, playing her first games in Australia since returning from college in the United States, hit 24 points against the Thunder, before slotting away another 14 points against the Tornadoes.
