Sport
18 November, 2025
Maryborough miss out in thriller versus Braves
The Maryborough Men’s Blazers suffered some Friday night heartbreak, losing a neck-and-neck affair to the Bendigo Braves 76-72.
After the Braves slowly chipped away at the Blazers’ noticeable early advantage throughout the second and third quarters, clutch moments didn’t roll Maryborough’s way as they fell to an 0-8 record.
Keen to rectify their defeat to the Braves the week prior, the Blazers opened the contest at the Maryborough Sports and Leisure Centre guns blazing on offence.
Brady Neill could’ve been mistaken for the Royal Australian Mint in the first quarter, producing several dimes, including two beautiful full-court assists to power Maryborough’s improved ball movement.
Led by an exceptional scoring period from Bailey Jacobs and Kynan Carter, who ferociously attacked the rim in the first quarter, a late Ollie McCarthy three-pointer gave the Blazers a double-digit lead at quarter time.
The second quarter was a complete contrast to the high-scoring period that preceded it, as neither team was able to generate reliable buckets.
With both teams limited to just six points each in the first eight minutes of the term, the Blazers still held the advantage heading into half time even after a late Braves surge.
As Maryborough and Bendigo became increasingly desperate for a landmark win, the third quarter quickly turned into a war of attrition with hard fouls becoming common-place.
Even with captain Carter shaking off some shooting struggles in the second quarter to be a constant threat on offence, the Braves took the lead after making a pair of free throws seven seconds before three-quarter time.
With the contest coming down to the final period, Maryborough opportunistically wrestled back momentum thanks to their key players stepping up in the clutch.
Another touchdown pass from Neill led to a Jacobs and one that livened the Blazers. Jacobs returned the favour with an inside pass to Neill, putting Maryborough up seven and forcing a Bendigo timeout midway through the term.
Just as it looked destined the Blazers would grasp their first victory of the season, momentum suddenly swung again following a Braves and one.
Despite an impressive Carter steal and a Jacobs block on back-to-back possessions, the Braves brought it back to a one-point ball game with less than a minute to play.
Then, following a Blazers turnover, the Braves hit the front, scoring a point at the charity stripe before adding a putback after the second free-throw missed.
Neill’s attempted answer was blocked at the rim, leading to another pair of free throws for Bendigo as they were up by four with 10 seconds left.
After the two teams traded split free-throw attempts, a desperation heave from Jacobs caught nothing but air, dissolving Maryborough’s last gasp at victory.
Jacobs and Carter were exceptional in defeat, with Jacobs finishing with a team-high 25 points while Carter scored a season-best 19 points. Neill also added 14 points to complement his pinpoint passing.
The Blazers now have only two chances remaining to end 2025 with a victory, ending their season with a home double-header versus the 6-2 Melton Thoroughbreds on Saturday night and the 4-4 Mildura Heat Sunday afternoon.
As for the undefeated Lady Blazers, they will play three games over four days, starting with a clash with the Braves this Thursday night before a massive top-of-the-table clash with the Thoroughbreds on Saturday and finishing the regular season against the Heat on Sunday.
