Repeat Raiders: Knox go back-to-back to make history

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The Knox Raiders have made history after becoming the first team to win back-to-back NBL1 National Finals titles following a nail-biting 86-73 win over the Bankstown Bruins in the championship game.

A dominant 23-9 final quarter was the catalyst for Craig Simpson's team to come back from a one-point deficit at three-quarter time to finish with the 13-point victory and claim their second consecutive championship after beating the Cockburn Cougars in Canberra in 2025.

Raiders and WNBL star Alicia Froling was named Finals MVP and said it showed the strength of the Knox group that they were able to hold off a tough Bruins side and battle back from several deficits.

"I think (going back-to-back) shows the strength we have as a group," she said post game.

"These are some of my best friends in this team and it's just really fun playing with them and we want to keep playing together.

"We all love winning too so it's a great mix."

Simpson, now with back-to-back NBL1 South and National titles to his name, said he was "lost for words" after the victory.

"Super proud of this group, this club, we got everyone's best game this year," he said in the post-game interview.

"I'm just happy with the collective buy-in of the group," he said.

"On any night it's someone stepping up... that makes it really tough to play against."

MATCH REPORT

Knox claimed the championship with an 86–73 victory over Bankstown at the State Basketball Centre in Wayville on the 23rd of August 2026, riding a dominant interior performance from Alicia Froling and a fourth-quarter avalanche that broke the contest open.

Game Snapshot

• Quarter scores: Knox 26–27, 16–14, 21–23, 23–9
• Final margin: Knox by 13

Bankstown lands the first blow

Bankstown came out swinging, edging the opening quarter 27–26 behind the early scoring of Shyla Heal and Tahlia Tupaea. The visitors' willingness to fire from deep set the tempo, but Knox's balanced attack ensured the margin never stretched beyond a possession.

Knox seizes control before halftime

The second quarter belonged to Knox, who tightened the screws defensively and held Bankstown to just 14 points. Paige Bradley's playmaking sparked the shift, with the captain distributing eight assists across the contest while pouring in 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting.

Froling did the damage inside, converting at an elite clip on her way to a 24-point, nine-rebound showing built on 11-of-13 shooting from the floor.

Heal keeps Bankstown within reach

Bankstown refused to fold in the third, outscoring Knox 23–21 to keep the deficit manageable heading into the final term. Heal shouldered the offensive load throughout, finishing with a game-high 30 points, seven assists and a perfect 11-of-11 from the free-throw line despite taking 25 shots to get there.

Margot De Freitas provided secondary punch with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Tupaea added 15 points and three assists in 36 minutes.

Fourth-quarter blitz seals the title

The championship was decided in the final 10 minutes, where Knox unleashed a 23–9 stampede to blow the game open. Leah Santomaggio's shooting stretched the floor, the sharpshooter finishing with 15 points on 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, while Paige Burrows chipped in 12 points and four assists on 3-of-5 from three.

Agnes Emma-Nnopu's fingerprints were all over the win at the other end — 12 rebounds and four blocks anchored a defensive effort that suffocated Bankstown down the stretch.

Efficiency tells the story

Knox's shooting splits were the difference. The champions shot 47.1% from the field, 51.1% from two-point range and 39.1% from three, while Bankstown managed just 31.8% overall and 32.1% from deep despite generating 28 attempts from long range.

Knox also dominated the glass 44–41, with 18 offensive rebounds fuelling second-chance opportunities that Bankstown could not match.

By the Numbers

• Alicia Froling (Knox): 24 pts │ 9 reb │ 3 blk │ 11-of-13 FG (84.6%)
• Paige Bradley (Knox): 20 pts │ 8 ast │ 4 reb │ 2-of-3 3PT
• Leah Santomaggio (Knox): 15 pts │ 6 reb │ 3-of-6 3PT
• Paige Burrows (Knox): 12 pts │ 4 ast │ 3-of-5 3PT
• Agnes Emma-Nnopu (Knox): 12 reb │ 6 pts │ 4 blk │ 3 ast
• Haliegh Reinoehl (Knox): 8 reb │ 7 pts
• Shyla Heal (Bankstown): 30 pts │ 7 ast │ 5 reb │ 11-of-11 FT
• Tahlia Tupaea (Bankstown): 15 pts │ 3 ast │ 4-of-11 3PT
• Margot De Freitas (Bankstown): 13 pts │ 7 reb │ 2 blk
• Kaila Proctor (Bankstown): 7 reb │ 6 offensive boards