A MATCH-winning performance from Knox wing Jarvis Neal helped get his Under 18s Raiders side off to the perfect start with a 22-point victory over Sandringham Sabres on the opening night of the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL).

The Under 18 Boys competition has plenty of eye-catching stars with the dynamic Neal providing the different between the two sides after the Raiders and Sabres were tied 42 points apiece at the main break. However it was the third term blitz from Knox that really separated the sides, pouring on 15 points to three, before stamping its authority with a 21-11 final stanza for a 78-56 triumph.

While his side stormed to victory in the second half, most of Neal’s best work came before half-time – including 15 in the second term – draining 18 of his team’s 42 points. Instead it was the likes of Charlie Fawcett (eight points) who took over the reins for the Raiders.

Farren and Nate Langmaid both contributed 10 points in the win, with Fawecett’s eight the next best after that. For the Sabres, it was Michael Fitton who shot the lights out with 18, while Zach Kovac (10 points) finished with double-digits as well.

The win put Knox on top of the VC Ashe Under 18 Bosy table after one round, with a percentage of 139.29. The Raiders marginally pipped Sunbury’s 138.46 per cent, after the Jets accounted for Frankston Blues, 72-52 at Boardman Sports Stadium.

Samuel Haslett churned out 16 points – eight of which came in the last quarter – in the 20-point victory. Alex Gray (10 points) and Sonny Maxwell (nine) were the other key contributors for the home side, while Jonty Chase (13 points), Bailey Marshall (13) and Thomas Williamson (12) put up 38 of the Blues’ 52 points in the loss.

Further north in Keilor, the Thunder proved too good for Bendigo Braves, coming away with the 14-point win as Devaughn King put up an eye-catching 26 points in his side’s opening match of the season. Meanwhile Casey Cavaliers held off a McKinnon Cougars fightback to win 55-51 as Sam Martin (McKinnon, 19 points) and Zane Windsor (Casey, 23 points) had a shootout.

In the final game of the round the two seconds sides from Eltham and Casey battled it out at Montmorency Secondary College, with the former coming away with the 65-59 win thanks to four double-digit scorers.

Looking to the VC Watson grade, Melbourne Tigers put Pakenham to the sword with a convincing 86-59 victory at Cardinia, recording the clearly highest score of the round. Luca Laird put on a show with 30 points, while Linden Moon managed 20 in defeat for the Warriors

In other results, the only tie of the round saw Ballarat Miners and Nunawading Spectres share the points at Selkirk Stadium, while Eltham’s top side knocked off Dandenong by nine points, Kilsyth got home against Knox’s second team 72-67, and Geelong United won in a three-point thriller over Diamond Valley, 60-57.