White leads Raiders past Thunder

Trazarien White says composure and execution proved the difference as Knox Raiders held off a late charge from Keilor Thunder to secure a 93–88 win in their NBL1 South 2026 season opener.

White starred in his debut, finishing with 26 points, 5 steals and 4 rebounds, impacting the game on both ends as Knox closed out the result down the stretch.

“We just fought, stayed together and made big plays down the stretch,” White said post-game.

The Raiders controlled large portions of the contest, jumping out to a 25–16 lead at quarter-time before responding to a Keilor push to maintain their advantage at the half.

Knox then took control in the third, outscoring the Thunder 30–18 to build a double-digit lead that stretched to as much as 15 early in the fourth.

But the game was far from over.

Keilor responded with a late surge, including an 11–0 run as part of a 31-point fourth quarter, cutting the margin back to single digits and forcing Knox to execute late.

“Tad’s a great leader, he kept us together,” White said.

That response proved decisive, with the Raiders steadying in the closing stages to secure the five-point win.

It marked an immediate impact from White, who arrived at Knox following a strong collegiate career in the United States, most recently at TCU in the Big 12 Conference after averaging 19.8 points and 6.8 rebounds at UNC Wilmington.

His presence was felt early.

White set the tone with an aggressive first quarter, highlighted by a transition dunk, while his defensive pressure disrupted Keilor’s rhythm throughout the night.

“It feels good to be back on the court and to get the win,” he said.

Despite the result, White said the group is still building continuity after an interrupted pre-season.

“This pre-season has been kind of different, we’re just getting all our players in,” he said.

“There were a few we missed tonight, but as our chemistry builds that will come.”

Knox received strong support across the lineup, with Brandon Slater adding 21 points, Kobe Williamson 18 points and 8 rebounds, and Tad Dufelmeier contributing 10 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.

Round 1 delivered the result for the Raiders, and an early glimpse of what White can bring.

“More to come.”

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