South Spotlight | Knox overpower Kilsyth in Q4

Featured image: Darren Keane - @darrenkeanephoto

Both teams were looking to bounce back from NBL1 South losses and with Brandon Slater showing the way and Keli Leaupepe continuing to grow in his return, Knox Raiders got the job done with 30 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Kilsyth Cobras 102-89.

Coming into the Saturday night match up at the State Basketball Centre and Kilsyth had lost to the Nunawading Spectres back on Thursday night while the Raiders went down to the Eltham Wildcats on Friday.

So both were looking to hit back and it was a 28-point second quarter that saw the Raiders go into half-time up 10 before a 16-poiunt third term for Kilsyth from Chris Payton Jr kept his team in touch.

But then it was another 30 points in the final term from Knox that secured them the 13-point victory to steady with a 14-7 record while Kilsyth are now 11-9 with both having two games to go in the regular season next weekend.

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With both teams trying to avoid consecutive losses, it was always going to be a fascinating contest and by the end of it, Knox won the possession battle with 22 offensive rebounds to nine on the way to getting up 15 extra shots to end up scoring the 13-point victory.

Knox improve to 14-7 as a result of the win with Brandon Slater delivering 25 points, nine rebounds and three assists with Trazarien White adding 17 points, four boards and four assists.

Tad Dufelmeier also had 15 points and four rebounds, Keli Leaupepe 15 points, 13 boards and three steals, Brody Nunn 10 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals, and Kobe Williamson 11 points, eight boards and four assists.

Kilsyth are now 11-9 with the two losses this round to two teams above them with Chris Payton Jr having 16 points in the third quarter on his way to 28 on the night with eight rebounds and shooting 10/13 from the field and 8/15 at the free-throw line.

Angus Glover had 16 of his 19 points in the first half while Jamie Ahale finished with 13 points on 2/12 shooting from the outside with Adrian Tomada contributing nine points and 11 assists.

Both teams were coming off losses already this round coming into the Saturday night match up and after Knox had an early seven-point lead, it was Kilsyth with the narrow 26-24 advantage by quarter-time.

Trazarien White and Brandon Slater combined for 22 of the 24 first quarter points for Knox with Jamie Ahale and Angus Glover having 15 for Kilsyth with the Cobras shooting 64 per cent to the 45 from the Raiders.

Knox turned things around in the second frame with 28 points to 16 to work their way on top to go into the half-time break leading 52-42 having lifted their shooting rate going 11/21 from the field for the quarter with 4/9 from the outside.

While Glover had 16 points for the Cobras and the visitors were still going at 56 per cent, and even with nine extra free-throw attempts, they had 18 fewer shots in the half while giving up the 12 offensive rebounds and coughing the ball up 10 times.

Payton Jr fired up in the third quarter for Kilsyth with 16 of their 25 points and despite missing all eight three-point attempts for the period, the Cobras did close the gap and close the Knox lead to 72-67 by three quarter-time.

Knox responded, though, with 30 points to 22 in the fourth quarter on the back of shooting 10/21 from the field and 8/11 at the foul line to secure the 13-point win and avoid back-to-back losses in the penultimate round.

Know will now finish the regular season on Friday night hosting the Hobart Chargers while Kilsyth have a double to go away to the Eltham Wildcats on Friday and at home to the Bendigo Braves on Saturday.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

KNOX RAIDERS 102 (Slater 25, White 17, Dufelmeier 15)

KILSYTH COBRAS 89 (Payton Jr 28, Glover 19, Ahale 13)