THE Knox Raiders delivered a terrific final quarter performance in their 13-point triumph over the Bulleen Boomers in the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) Under-18 Boys on the weekend.

In a highly anticipated match, both sides played with a serious level of ferocity as they each looked to make it 2-0 in the new VC Championship division. Both teams ended up having runs throughout the game, as momentum shifted on a number of ocassions. The difference ended up being Knox’s showing in the final quarter, as they outscored the opposition 29-18 and seal the result to put themselves at the top of the table.

Fraser Roxburgh was flagged as one of the key players to watch for the Raiders, and he justified those predictions with a 24-point outing, playing a crucial role in his side’s win. Not far behind was teammate Luke Fennell, who displayed his scoring arsenal with 22 points, while Jacob Bell rounded out Knox’s top scorers with an 18-point showing.

The Boomers were almost dragged over the line by the terrific offensive showing from Joel Foxwell. He produced a game-high 30 points, and was one of the main reasons why Bulleen was able to keep up with the balanced scoring display of the Raiders. Unfortunately, he did not get enough assistance from teammates, and the Boomers were overwhelmed.

After the competition took the long weekend off, there was a bit of rust from both sides to start the contest. The buckets were not falling as often as we have seen, and there was just a combined 23 points scored in the term. However, it was clear that the Raiders were the better side in the first 10 minutes, as they took a seven-point lead into the first change.

The Boomers bounced back in the second term, finally finding their offensive groove and the bottom of the net. They outperformed the Raiders in the quarter, but it was only by a slim margin, with a bit more work to do in the second half. When the buzzer sounded to conclude the first two quarters, the margin had been whittled down to just three points, and it was game on.

Quarter number three was a very even affair, with neither side dominating or breaking away on the scoreboard. Scoring seemed to come more naturally for both sides, with each team scoring at least 20 points in the period. However, this was working against the Boomers, who needed to slow down the offensive output of the Raiders if they were to take the lead. Instead, their deficit had been extended by a point heading into the last.

As mentioned above, the Raiders stormed home in the final 10 minutes, completely outplaying the Boomers and putting the result beyond doubt. It was their best offensive showing of the entire game, as they poured in a whopping 29 points for the term. The margin stretched out to double-digits and Knox stormed to top spot in the standings.