South Spotlight | Raiders too strong for Pioneers

Featured image: Andrew Scherer / DLNQNT PHOTOGRAPHY

The Knox Raiders retained their top four NBL1 South position by returning to the winner's list handing the Mount Gambier Pioneers a ninth consecutive loss with the 97-76 road win.

The Pioneers were back home at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre trying to stop their losing slide up against a Raiders team still sitting fourth but also having lost their past couple.

Knox worked on top by nine points at quarter-time and were still leading by seven at half-time before that was a 10-point margin at three quarter-time, and they went on from there to complete the 21-point victory with 23 points to 12 in the last term.

The win improves the Raiders to a 13-6 record with the Pioneers now 5-14 with the nine straight defeats.

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Knox maintained their hold on a top four place with the win on the back of shooting 12/26 from three-point range to 4/24 from the Pioneers while also pulling down 19 offensive rebounds to 10 on the way to getting up 10 extra shot attempts.

Brandon Slater finished with 22 point and nine rebounds with 5/8 three-point shooting for Knox with Trazarien White adding 20 points, eight boards and three assists, and Brody Nunn 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Keli Leaupepe is building back nicely now and played his second game back after his ruptured ACL that ended his NBL26 season at the Sydney Kings before it started. He had 11 points, six rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes.

It's nine consecutive losses now for Mount Gambier with Alex Mudronja finishing with 22 points and four rebounds with Deng Deng adding 20 points, seven boards, four assists and two blocks including 11 points in the opening term.

Elijah Saifaleupolu also had 17 points for the Pioneers, and Lucas Gordon nine points and 11 rebounds.

Mount Gambier were back home attempting to snap their eight-game losing run with Knox also trying to avoid a third straight defeat and it was the Raiders starting strongly with 28 points to 19 in the first quarter.

The Raiders shot 10/15 from the field in the opening 10 minutes with 5/7 from downtown to the 7/17 and 0/4 from the Pioneers despite 11 points from Deng Deng who made another flying start.

The lead for Knox got out to double figures in the second frame and by half-time they were on top 50-43 with Brandon Slater scoring 13 points and Trazarien White 12 while Deng was up to 14 points for Mount Gambier and 12 for Alex Mudronja.

Both teams were shooting at 49 per cent but Knox hit 8/17 from downtown to the 2/10 from Mount Gambier.

Knox pushed out to a 12-point lead in the third quarter and were up 74-64 by three quarter-time before another 23 to 12 in the fourth to win by 21 on the back of shooting 19/42 in the second half with just 4/9 from deep while the Pioneers went 12/34 along with 2/14.

Mount Gambier will look to hit back at home to the Bendigo Braves now on Saturday night while Knox have their last three games at home to the Eltham Wildcats, Kilsyth Cobras and Hobart Chargers starting next Friday night.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 76 (Mudronja 22, Deng 20, Saifaleupolu 17)

KNOX RAIDERS 97 (Slater 22, White 20, Nunn 14)