THE DANDENONG Rangers fell five points short in their clash against the Knox Raiders in the eighth and penultimate round of the VJBL Under-18 VC Championship Boys clash over the weekend when the two sides locked horns.

In a highly-anticipated top-four clash, the Raiders were looking to remain atop the standings and unbeaten when they hosted Dandenong at State Basketball Centre on Friday night. The Rangers were no easy beats however, and came into the clash looking to close in on a top three spot with finals approaching.

Although the visitors produced a spirited fightback in the final quarter, they fell painfully short as the Raiders held on for a five-point victory to record their eighth win since the regrading a few months ago.

Knox Raiders (71) def. Dandenong Rangers (66)

The Rangers showed they were up for the fight in the first quarter, despite being in enemy territory, and were able to match Knox’s offensive production. This was a feat that not many sides had been able to achieve throughout 2025, and some of Dandenong’s big names were stepping up. However, Knox’s class was still slightly too good at times, and the Raiders held a one-point buffer at the first change.

The second quarter was when the tide began to truly turn, with the Raiders putting a stop to the Rangers on the defensive end and getting some momentum before half time. Dandenong was restricted to just eight points for the quarter, and the home side was able to build a nine-point lead on the eve of half time, and bring some of the electric basketball that has launched them to the top of the table.

The Raiders continued to flex their muscles and show their class coming out of half time, putting the foot down with an immense offensive showing in the third quarter, led by their starters. The Rangers were trying to make up ground on the scoreboard, but lacked the defensive restriction to slow down the Raiders, who led by 17 points at the final change.

The Rangers threw the kitchen sink at the opposition in the fourth quarter, finally coming alive on the offensive end and putting the pressure back on the Raiders. Dandenong got back within three points with just over a minute to play, but could not get any closer than that for the remainder of the match as the Raiders showed their composure at the free throw line, which allowed them to seal the game.

Luke Atacador led all comers on the scoring front for Knox as he played a crucial role for the Raiders in getting the job done, posting 23 points in an impressive offensive performance. Also catching the eye was Jarvis Neal, who continued his strong season with 21 points of his own as the pair proved to be the driving force for the victors.

Austin Kirikiri was immense on the offensive side of things, almost leading his team to a remarkable comeback in the fourth quarter. He posted 23 points for the match and can certainly hold his head high in defeat.

Across the courts

The Sunbury Jets moved one step closer to locking in a top-three spot at season’s end when they got the job done over Geelong United to the tune of 48 points in an emphatic display when the two sides clashed at Beyond Bank Stadium.

The Kilsyth Cobras ensured they are still well-placed to finish in second spot at the end of the home and away fixture, convincingly beating the Sandringham Sabres by 21 points at Sandringham Family Leisure Centre.

The Keilor Thunder were simply too good for the Casey Cavaliers when the two teams went head to head on Friday night, defending home court strongly to emerge 26-point winners at Keilor Stadium, and finishing the round in fifth spot on the ladder.

Finally, the Eltham Wildcats kept the trend of big wins rolling with their 16-point victory over the Nunawading Spectres on Friday night, getting the job done in enemy territory at Nunawading Basketball Centre.