South Spotlight | Sabres continue winning run over Raiders

Featured image: Mitchell barlow

Steph Reid showed the way and received plenty of help with the Sandringham Sabres starting hot and going on with it from there for the 82-72 Anzac Day win over the defending NBL1 South champion Knox Raiders.

The Sabres were back home at Southern Basketball Stadium having won four of five matches so far in 2026 as they played host to the defending champion Raiders who were coming off a bounce back win over the Nunawading Spectres.

Sandringham shot out of the blocks with a 17-4 to start the game and from there would lead by 17 points in the second quarter, 18 in the fourth and go on to score the eventual 10-point victory to improve to a 5-1 record with Knox now 3-3 in their championship defence.

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The Sabres kept their impressive winning run going even in the absence of Funda Nakkasoglu with Steph Reid delivering 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists while playing all but 1:31 of the game.

Madison Ryan added 16 points, six rebounds and three assists, Luch Cochrane 15 points, four boards and four assists, Klara Wischer 15 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals, and Isis Lopes 13 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.

It's a third loss of the season already for the defending champion Knox even with Haliegh Reinoehl finishing with 24 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals on 8/14 shooting from the field.

Shaneice Swain added 17 points, six rebounds and two steals, Paige Bradley 12 points, seven assists and six boards, and 200-game veteran Leah Santomaggio 10 points with Alicia Froling adding six points, 11 rebounds and three assists.

The Sabres came into the contest having won their last couple by an average of 21 points and started on fire against the defending champs with a 17-4 beginning to the Anzac Day match up.

Lucy Cochrane and Steph Reid combined for 13 points in the first quarter and with the Sabres shooting 50 per cent from the field to 42, and taking the only 10 free throws of the opening 10 minutes they were leading the Raiders 28-19 by the end of one.

Sandringham pushed that lead out to 17 points in the second quarter as well and the home team were still leading 51-36 by half-time with Madison Ryan, Cochrane, Reid and Klara Wischer all scoring in double-figures.

By the break, the Sabres were still shooting 51 per cent to 44 but they didn’t get to the foul line in that second quarter with the Raiders getting there nine times but only converting four of them.

The Raiders did say in touch with 21 points to 18 in the third quarter and then scored the first five points of the last term to get back within five and to make things interesting.

But Sandringham again responded and got back out to a 13-point advantage before securing the 10-point win over the reigning champions.

Sandringham will be next action next Saturday away to Geelong United while Knox back up quickly to host the Diamond Valley Eagles on Sunday.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ANZAC ROUND

SANDRINGHAM SABRES 82 (Reid 18, Ryan 16, Cochrane 15, Wischer 15)

KNOX RAIDERS 72 (Reinoehl 24, Swain 17, Bradley 12)