THE Keilor Thunder produced an impressive final term as they took down the Frankston Blues in the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) Under 18 Boys, claiming an eight-point triumph at Keilor Stadium on Friday night.

Both sides came into the game without a win next to their name, and the tense nature of the contest reflected that. The two clubs were desperate to emerge victorious, and heading into the final term, it looked as if the result could go either way. It was the Thunder who managed to execute in the fourth quarter, outscoring the opposition 24-18 and securing their first win of the VC Championship portion of the 2022 season.

Leading the way for the Thunder was Phillip Tawil, who delivered one of his best scoring performances of the season in arguably his team’s most important outing. He poured in a game-high 25 points and was a key factor in the Thunder getting over the line in the end. He was not alone in giving Keilor a boost on the scoreboard, with Yianni Papadopoulos (15 points) and Jai Prince (10 points) also chiming in for some big buckets down the stretch.

It was a balanced scoring performance from the Blues, almost stealing the win courtesy of all eight active players scoring four or more points. Ryan Lane top scored for Frankston with 21 points, shining in the first half in particular when the game was well and truly up for grabs. Also catching the eye was Lachlan Dines, who produced 11 points of his own.

Keilor Thunder (75) def. Frankston Blues (67)

Both sides were looking to fire early in the contest, wasting no time in the shot clock before putting up their attempts from the field. While not all of their blows landed, both sides were playing some of the most exciting basketball we have seen from them all season.

Not much separated the two sides at the first change, and that trend continued into the second term. The Thunder managed to secure a couple of unanswered buckets to jump out to a slim lead, which stood at five points at half time.

The Blues managed to hit back to start the second half, ensuring the margin was not extended in the third term. Their fast-paced style of play was beginning to work, and saw the deficit reduced to just two points heading into the final 10 minutes of play.

Despite Frankston’s hard work, the final period belonged to Keilor, as the home side produced their best quarter of the match when it mattered most. The Blues’ defence had no answer for the sizzling offence of the Thunder, who were able to blow the margin out and secure a cracking triumph.