Posted on 25 April, 2022

The Cobras-Raiders rivalry has treated fans to an abundance of epic encounters and wild finishes over the years. But Saturday night’s NBL1 home opener may have given the decades-long rivalry its craziest ending yet, as the Cobras erased a late double-digit deficit to down Knox, 66-64.

by Kate Butterfield

The crowd erupted after a heart-stopping Cobras 66-64 win over the Knox Raider Men on Saturday night, and in the words of Cobra Mitch Dielemans: “I’ve never heard anything like it before”.

The homegrown hero calmly nailed a free throw and intentionally missed the second with 1.8 seconds remaining of Saturday night’s NBL1 blockbuster, in what the packed Kilsyth stadium believed would steal the win against the rival Raiders. But drama ensured as a foul was called on stalwart Tim Lang, sending the Raiders’ Simon Grant to the line with a chance to force overtime with 0.3 seconds remaining.

Throwing basketball etiquette aside, the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Grant’s miss, which all but sealed the victory for the fired-up Cobras. Grant deliberately missed the second free throw but the buzzer sounded and the Cobras’ faithful raised the stadium roof.

“That was insane,” Dielemans said post-game.  “It’s always a big occasion against Knox, and it’s always loud, but that was insane.”

The best plays from an absolutely incredible finish to our Men’s @NBL1 home opener against the rival Raiders on Saturday night.

What a way to open at home! 🐍 pic.twitter.com/4E6HiRshuB

— Kilsyth Basketball (@KilsythCobras) April 25, 2022

The Raiders ran hot early in the game. Agile Raider Alex Robinson was everywhere and Cobra Adrian Tomada made life difficult for the visitors, while Corey Jeffs picked up where he left off on Thursday night, proving more than a handful for Raiders. But after one period of play, it was the Raiders leading, 18-12.

Jeffs and Dielemans trimmed the Raiders’ lead before import Trey Moses scored inside to put the Cobras in front for the first time. Their lead didn’t last long, though, as Grant drained four triples for the quarter to push the Raiders out to an eight-point half-time lead, 38-30.

Scoring was dried up coming out of the locker room for both teams, with the Raiders taking a nine point lead into the final stanza. But the Cobras saved their best ‘til the last, with Lang scoring inside and out while controlling the glass to spark Kilsyth’s late surge.

With five minutes to play, and five homegrown Cobras out on court, the intensity rose to new heights – and so did the raucous home crowd – as Ursich, Jeffs, Dielemans and Nick Feller all scored, to chip away at the Raiders’ lead. The turning point came off the back of a Dielemans’ defensive stop at the Raiders’ end, which Hamish MacDonald capitalised on, deftly tipping the ball in to level the score at 61-apiece and earning an extra chance at the line. The free throw missed, but with less than 30 seconds on the clock, Feller stretched at full extension to tip the ball to Ursich, who then found Dielemans for a go-ahead layup as the Cobras led, 63-61.

The Raiders weren’t finished, and Grant responded with a clutch three with just 10 seconds left to play to reclaim a one-point lead.

But with just seconds remaining on the clock, an Alex Robinson unsportsmanlike foul on Dielemans sent the young Cobra to the line, and the crowd into a frenzy. Undaunted, Dielemans stepped up and made both baskets, to regain the lead 65-64, with possession to follow.

Dielemans was immediately fouled, sending him back to the line into the high-pressure situation with 0.5 of a second remaining. But Dielemans lapped it up.

“I’m a pretty confident guy at the free throw line,” he said after the game. “When it comes to the clutch, I want to be the one out there on the free throw line.”

Dielemans’ free throw sealed the 66-64 win for the home team. Jeffs finished the night on a high, with 15 points and a game-high 11 boards. Lang and Tomada had 11 points each; Ursich and Lang chipped-in with 10 apiece, and the selfless Tomada added a game-high six assists.

The Cobras play host to league newcomers, the Casey Cavaliers, this Saturday at the Kilsyth Sports Centre, with the Women tipping-off the evening at 6pm, followed by the Men at 8pm.