The dust is beginning to settle on another incredible NBL1 National Finals, but one big question still remains.
How on earth did the Knox Raiders pull together and take out the men’s title with just seven players on their roster.
THE KNOX RAIDERS ARE THE 2023 @COLES EXPRESS NBL1 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 20, 2023
Defeating the defending champion Rockingham Flames 90 - 85, Knox have claimed the National Title ? pic.twitter.com/Rd78gWrc54
Star duo Mason Peatling and Deng Acuoth were unavailable for the Raiders leading up to the tournament, and Acuoth has just been named in South Sudan’s FIBA World Cup squad.
With his side down their starting four and five, up stepped then 17-year-old Austin Rapp to fill the breach. He had already played a key role in Knox’s NBL1 South triumph over Sandringham, and now it was his time to shine.
The final also fell on his 18th birthday – it was almost as if a Knox win was written in the stars.
While the script almost seemed set for Knox and Rapp to triumph over Devondrick Walker and the Rockingham Flames, the NBL1 National Champion believes how the game unfolded came down to one simple thing.
“What Coach Nunn preaches a lot is that no excuses mantra,” Rapp told NBL Media. “We have a motto of no excuses, and we went away with that mentality. We found a way to get it done and it was truly special.
“We can say we don’t have this, or we don’t have that, but we went to war on that weekend.
“If you watch the games we put everything on the line. We were so sore and tired in that last game but full credit to our guys, we just battled and got it done in the end.”
How did a team of 7? end up winning the NBL1 National Title? ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 23, 2023
Find out ??https://t.co/ewTAPY3Z4K
Ke’Jhan Feagin took the headlines for his 27 points in the decisive game of the tournament, but in a game where no Knox player hit the floor for fewer than 14 minutes, the now 18-year-old Rapp was a crucial contributor.
The Flames shot out to a 10-point quarter time lead, but an explosive 33-point second quarter put the Raiders up by four points at half time. From there ti weas a case of keeping the opposition at bay.
Rapp himself finished the game with 14 points and 12 rebounds, which was a performance that while crucial to lifting the trophy, paled to his 26 points and 11 rebounds in the semi-final win over Sutherland.
Celebrations from the West ? pic.twitter.com/eRFkP359gd
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 21, 2023
It’s been a mercurial rise for Rapp this season. In addition to his now pair of titles he also recently signed a development player contract with NBL side South East Melbourne.
“I honestly ask myself that question sometimes as well,” he said when asked how he handled the pressure of the big stage.
“I’ve come a long way, I think, with my development and I think that’s not only a credit to me, but it’s a credit to the guys who’ve put trust in me.
“The people at Knox, Coach Nunn, they have trust to put me out there in those last few minutes of a game where we’re one point down or one point up, luckily we came away with the victory too.
“The big thing is to stay within the team, do my role the best I can and just block out the nerves to the best of my ability which is hard – but I just do my best and that was enough this season.”
Photo courtesy of: Ian Knight Photography
