Feature image via: Ian Knight
Making the NBL1 South Finals by the skin of their teeth, the Knox Raiders have a herculean task ahead of them if they want to repeat as champions.
Taking on the Dandenong Rangers this weekend in an Elimination Final, they will have to get through the likes of Ballarat, Mount Gambier, Sandringham and more to just make the Grand Final again this season.
The Knox Raiders will take on the Dandenong Rangers on Saturday, streaming live from 7:00pm AEST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
The Raiders retooled this offseason to feature a more dynamic offensive team, ranking first in both scoring and assists versus last year’s defensively anchored squad.
Despite finishing seventh on the ladder, reigning Coach of the Year Matt Nunn is still confident his team can make another historic run.
“It has been a challenging season with a lot of interruptions, we are playing without our second import through a season-ending injury and have had various injuries across key players,” he told NBL Media.
“However, we have finished the season winning five of our last six games and we are quietly confident within the group that we are peaking at the right time of the year.”
Related: Knox’s ‘no excuses’ approach
Following the NBL1 South Finals, the Raiders will be headed up to the Sunshine Coast to defend their National title. After taking a team of seven through the best teams across the country, Nunn explained that their new play style will better suit the tournament even more.
“It is very sentimental to the group and the club, and the guys are highly motivated to be at their best for the Nationals,” he said.
“We think we have the playing style that holds up in finals that will give us a chance to defend our title.”
With an especially cold Melbourne winter, the Raiders are looking forward to escaping to the spectacular Sunshine Coast in August and encourage fans to do the same.
“We are super excited to visit the Sunshine Coast and play against the best NBL1 teams from around Australia,” he said.
“As a group, I think most of our team is planning on spending some extra days in Queensland with their respective families after the tournament.
“I think having the finals in Queensland provides fans with a winter escape from Melbourne in a fun tournament-style weekend where they can watch ball, lay on the beach and eat out.”
Get your tickets to the 2024 Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 National Finals, hosted on the beautiful Sunshine Coast from August 16-18 here.
For further information on the official destination of the National Finals, head to www.visitsunshinecoast.com
