Knox Raiders win inaugural Points off the Bench Award

The Knox Raiders have claimed the inaugural Points off the Bench Award, finishing the 2025 NBL1 South season with the highest combined bench scoring average across both their men’s and women’s teams.

Introduced this year, Points off the Bench recognises the most productive bench units in the league, using a combined average of men’s and women’s bench points per game. This allows for fair comparison across varying round structures, including clubs that field only one team and places a spotlight on the unsung depth across both competitions.

Knox finished with a combined average of 13.36 points per game, powered by 17.20 from their women’s bench and 9.52 from the men. Their consistency was key, with standout performances in Rounds 12, 13, and 14 helping them surge late in the season.

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Keilor Thunder secured second place with an average of 12.38 points per game, driven by explosive early-round efforts and strong contributions across both squads. Sandringham Sabres rounded out the top three at 12.26, with both their men's and women's benches consistently chipping in to lift the team’s overall productivity.

Knox’s women were the top-ranked bench unit across the women’s competition, while North West Tasmania recorded the highest bench average among all men’s teams.

While Knox’s consistency earned them the crown, several clubs delivered explosive single-round performances that lit up the stat sheet and showcased the true impact of bench depth.

On the men’s side, Keilor’s bench stormed out of the gates in Round 1 with 36.5 points, setting the tone for one of the most dangerous second units in the league. Mt Gambier matched that total in Round 14, equalling the men’s season-high. Also noteworthy were Ballarat’s 35.5 points in Round 12 and Frankston’s 37 in Round 1, an early benchmark that proved hard to top. Knox’s late-season push included solid contributions, but it was Frankston and Keilor’s early rounds that truly stood out.

In the women’s competition, Diamond Valley's bench erupted for 54 points in Round 5, the highest single-round total across both genders all season. Knox followed with a dominant stretch, piling on 41, 31, 34, and 40 points across Rounds 12 to 15, a late surge that helped them secure the overall title. Melbourne also impressed, posting 32 bench points in both Rounds 10 and 11, showing strong mid-season depth.

These moments scattered across teams and rounds reflect the growing importance of full-roster contributions in a league where every playercounts.