AS was the case with the Girls competition, the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) Under-18 Boys competition is set for a brand new fixture this weekend. With the best sides set to face off in the VC Championship, things kick off with a pretty big clash as the Knox Raiders play host to the Nunawading Spectres at Knox Basketball Stadium on Friday night.

Both sides were pretty dominant in their respective starts to the year in the VC Ashe and VC Watson divisions. In the first nine rounds, both sides spent time at the top of the table and look well-placed to have a fair crack at winning the whole thing. However, the real challenge starts now and they have not faced off yet this season, so expect Friday night’s game to be an absolute belter. Getting off to a good start in the VC Championship division will be crucial, so there is plenty to play for.

Knox Raiders vs. Nunawading Spectres
Friday, June 3 @ 9:40pm
Knox Basketball Stadium

The Raiders were the pick of the bunch in the VC Watson division, remaining unbeaten after the first nine rounds and sitting atop the standings at the conclusion of the first half of 2022. They had found a pretty dominant style of play, dismantling any opponents that came their way and are probably the championship favourite at this point of the season. However, the landscape has changed with the reshuffling of the fixture, and they will need to take on the best of both divisions if they are to remain undefeated. Despite a tougher challenge, Knox will simply need to keep up its high scoring ways, which proved extremely damaging at the start of the season. They have the capability to perform better than anyone on both ends of the court, and that was shown when they took down the second-placed Tigers in extremely convincing fashion, and if Carlin Briggs can deliver another high-scoring outing, the Raiders should be well-placed to claim the win.

The Spectres were also one of the best starters across both divisions, sitting at the top of the standings for most of the season. Nunawading has proven too strong against most opponents it faced in the first nine weeks, with a serious number of scoring avenues hurting plenty of defensive structures. With a focus on creating the best quality shot, the Spectres have been able to get the best out of their players, winning games by comfortable margins on a weekly basis. They will be facing a tough opposition in the Raiders, but neither side has been able to get a read on the opposition, so the game could really go either way. Billy Hicks and Lucas Koch have combined to hurt the oppostion in the past, and will both need to be firing if Nunawading is to pull off the win.

Across the courts

The season kicks off on Friday night, with a number of games taking place across the newly formed divisions and plenty of action to enjoy.

VC Championship

Bulleen vs. Geelong United, 8:20pm, Mullum Mullum Stadium
Keilor vs. Melbourne, 8:20pm, Keilor Stadium
Frankston vs. Casey, 9:40pm, Frankston Basketball Stadium

VC Reserve

Diamond Valley vs. Gippsland United, 8:20pm, Diamond Valley Sports and Fitness Centre
Camberwell vs. Kilsyth, 9:20pm, Balwyn High School
Dandenong vs. Wangaratta, 9:40pm, Mill Park Basketball Stadium
McKinnon vs. Eltham, 9:40pm, Bentleigh Secondary College
Southern Peninsula vs. Bendigo, 9:40pm, Dandenong Stadium