Finals a focus for Bendigo Men

The Bendigo Bank Braves Men’s team still have the NBL1 South finals in their sights, despite going down to league powerhouse Knox away on Saturday night.

A nice start by Bendigo saw them going basket-for-basket with the reigning champs in the first five minutes, before some late threes from the Raiders saw Bendigo down 21-30 at the first break.

Bendigo’s desire to play fast and shoot early paid off at times in the second quarter, but Knox’s size was making a difference in the key, on both the rebounds and scores inside the paint.

Bendigo’s offense was slick at times in the first half, but the highlight was a defensive one. Guard Lachie O’Brien took three charges in the first half while defending the dribble, a stat that impressed coach Stephen Black.

Down 15 at half time, Bendigo came out firing in the third quarter. On the back of quality defense and a couple of Dylan McCauley corner threes, the Braves reduced the margin to six halfway through the third term.

But Knox steadied late in the quarter, and into the last, Bendigo going down 72-97.

Mitch Clarke was easily the best for Bendigo, with 18 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists.

Billy Smythe (13 points) and McCauley (11) were the only other players in double figures.

Black said his side lost the game in the first half.

 “When we stayed with it offensively, we were happy with our execution,” he said.

“But defensively there were too many lapses and a lack of physicality.

“In the second half I was impressed with how we went about things, and we were excellent in what we were trying to do.

“We just dug ourselves such a hole there wasn’t a lot of room for error in the second half.”

Black said he was confident his team could still make the finals.

“We look at the games we have, and we can win them. If we do, we can make the playoffs,” he said.

“It’s all about improving every day and playing the way we want to play.

“When we do that, we can compete against anyone,

“I still believe with this group that every game we go into we are a big chance.”

Photo - Craig Dilks Photgraphy