South Spotlight | Combs delivers late for Blues

Featured image: Trent Moore Sports Photography

The Frankston Blues shook off conceding the game's first 12 points and then a late four-point deficit with Jeremy Combs scoring the game's last five points to make it six straight NBL1 South wins beating the Knox Raiders 86-85.

The Blues were back home at Jubilee Park Stadium having won five straight matches to be banging on the door of the top four with Knox in that fourth position coming off a loss to the Waverley Falcons.

Knox then shot out of the blocks with the first 12 points and it took Frankston almost five minutes to score but then the Blues had their own 13-0 run in the second half to lead by eight early in the fourth only for the Raiders to respond once more to be up four in the final minute.

But that's where Combs came up huge in just his fourth appearance with Frankston firstly with a strong and-one play and then getting a steal off Brody Nunn, who then fouled him hard to make him have to step up at the foul line.

And Combs had missed six of his first eight foul shots, but then made those last three with the game on the line to prove the hero as Frankston made it six straight wins to replace Knox (12-6) in fourth position at 12-5.

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It turned out being quite the dramatic affair as it always promised to be and precious little separated them by the end of the night with Knox shooting 46 per cent to the 42 from Frankston while the Blues did go 19/28 from the foul line to 16/20.

The Raiders had 12 offensive rebounds to nine but also had 16 turnovers to the nine from the Blues, and it all added up to the one-point result in the finish.

Austin Shelley ended up with 16 points with the Blues making it six consecutive wins while Jeremy Combs made those three huge free throws when they mattered most even with going 5/11 by the finish on his way to 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots.

Tom Garrett also had 15 points, three rebounds and three steals, Kynan Philippe 10 points, two boards, two assists and two steals, Corey Hastings 10 points, four rebounds and three assists, and Jack Stanwix nine points and four assists.

It's consecutive defeats now for Knox with Trazarien White finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds and two assists while Kobe Williamson had a hot start and his dominant moments down low on his way to 15 points and seven rebounds.

Then there was Sydney Kings NBL powerhouse Keli Leaupepe play his first game since rupturing his ACL in the NBL26 pre-season that saw him miss that entire championship run. He was back on the floor for Knox and got through 17:32 for 13 points and two rebounds.

Deng Acouth had nine points and seven rebounds to half-time and that's where he finished with Tad Dufelmeier adding nine points, six assists, four boards and two steals, and Brody Nunn eight points, seven assists and three rebounds.

With both teams locked in a battle over a top four position it was always going to be a fascinating contest and the Raiders went on a 12-0 run to start the game in the most stunning fashion.

It took almost five minutes for Frankston to score thanks to Jack Stanwix and Knox were still on top 23-14 by quarter-time as a result on the back of shooting 8/18 from the field to the 5/20 from the Blues.

That lead got out to 15 points as well in the second term for Knox with the lead for the visitors still 47-39 by half-time but the Blues had worked back into the contest with Tom Garrett the only double figure scorer in the game with 12 points.

It was the turn of Frankston to then go on their own 13-0 run in the third quarter on the way to outscoring Knox 25 points to 14 and that saw the home team leading 25-14 by three quarter-time on the back of shooting 8/15 from the field with 6/7 free-throw shooting to the 6/14 and 0/2 from Knox.

That set up a big finish and it certainly delivered with the Blues out to an eight-point lead with eight minutes to play only for the Raiders to respond with the next five points from Kobe Williamson including a huge triple.

Tad Dufelmeier then scored after an offensive rebound and Trazarien White completed a three-point play to tie scores up with just over two minutes to go.

White scored again twice to have Knox leading by two with a minute on the clock before stretching the lead to four with a pair of free throws, but then a turnover from White led to a strong finish in transition from Jeremy Combs in transition.

He was also fouled and after going 2/8 at the foul line for the night up to that point, he added the extra. He then stole the ball off Brody Nunn and again got to the basket where he was fouled again by Nunn.

Once more despite his earlier struggles, he made both and that clinched the win in the finish for the Blues when White couldn’t score up the other end at the buzzer for Frankston to have now won six straight.

The Blues now have a Tuesday night match up with the Ringwood Hawks to look forward to while the Raiders will attempt to bounce back when they face the Mount Gambier Pioneers on the road on Friday night.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 12

FRANKSTON BLUES 86 (Shelley 16, Combs 15, Garrett 15)

KNOX RAIDERS 85 (White 16, Williamson 15, Leaupepe 13)