ABA 2025-26: Raiders run out of steam in search of first victory as Denmark turn the tables in A-grade contest

It has been a tough start to the Albany Basketball Association men’s A-grade competition for the Raiders, but there was honour in defeat on Tuesday night almost shocking opponents Denmark Magpies before running out of steam. It ended up being the Raiders’ sixth loss on the trot, but they were leading with four minutes to go only to concede the last nine points and lost 42-49. Thomas Phillips led the way for the under-18 side, grabbing 11 points as Sam O’Toole-Gardner ran him close with 10. However, Jackson Shaw’s 15 points for the Magpies proved pivotal as they upped the ante at the death. The other main contributors for the winners were Sam Finigan and Kye Griffiths, with 10 points apiece. The Raiders grabbed the first half by the scruff of the neck with nine points in a row – including a three-point belter from Phillips – giving them an 11-4 lead by the midway point. They moved to 20-11 lead with three minutes remaining in the half, but four points from Brody Hickey and two apiece from Finigan and Luke Schober put the Magpies back in the frame and just three adrift by the break. They opened the second half with purpose, Finigan and Shaw adding six points to take the lead before Andre De Giambattista struck for Raiders. It was end-to-end from then, with the lead changing hands four times in three minutes before the Magpies finally came home to roost. Sonics Blue cemented their hold on the ladder with a 74-38 crushing of club rivals Sonics Grey. Riley Robertson led the way for Blue with 19 points, which included three triples, to go with contributions from David Arthur (16 points) and Mason Tion (13). Corey Plug’s eight points was best for Grey as Levi Clay managed seven to lend a helping hand. Railways Tigers kept the pressure up on the ladder leaders with a 48-39 win over Barking Owls. Nathan Lillicrap dominated the scoring for Tigers with 17 points while Justin Benson’s 12 kept Owls in the game. The Tigers were four points to the good at half-time and extended their lead with a five-point burst at the start of the second period. That proved the spell which gave Tigers some breathing space and they were able to keep the Owls at arms’ length for the rest of the match. Denmark Magpies edged out Sonics A, 38-33, in the women’s A-grade, thanks to an 18-point contribution from Danielle Carne. Shianne Arthur collected 12 points in reply, but Sonics could not make inroads into a Magpies lead which ran to seven points at half-time. It had been nip and tuck early on as Arthur and then Maddison Ausburn got Sonics to within a point but the next six went the Magpies’ way to put them 15-8 up and in the box seat. Sonics pressed after the interval and when Ausburn bagged a point with a minute to go they were just one point down. However, Carne had other ideas, converting three points from the free-throw line after successive Sonics fouls and Tatum Whalley finished things off for the Magpies as the final buzzer sounded. Barking Owls were comfortable winners in the other women’s game, beating Railways Tigers 56-42. Dakota Bremner ran amok for 19 points, ably supported by Keely Berry’s 10. Hollie Jackman led the way for Tigers with 13 in a losing cause with Sophie Pearson chipping in with nine. A dominant spell midway through the first half, where Owls grabbed nine points without reply, and then another unanswered six two minutes later, had them hooting with joy. They did it again after the break with another eight in a row, and although Tigers fought back and landed some blows through Jackman and Georgia Whitelaw it was not enough to turn the tide.