Basketball
1 December, 2025
Hornets go down to Lakers in semifinal
The Horsham Hornets men’s basketball team suffered a hard-fought 91-85 loss to the Mount Gambier Lakers in the Country Basketball League semifinals on Sunday.
The defeat ends the Hornets’ season and their championship defence, with the Lakers now set to play Terang in next week’s CBL grand final at Horsham Basketball Stadium.
Despite Mount Gambier’s home court advantage, the Hornets got off to a flying start, scoring the opening nine points of the game before taking a 17-4 lead.
But the minor premiers quickly cut the deficit to six at quarter time, before outscoring the Hornets 33-15 to take a 49-37 lead at halftime.
But a concerted team effort in the third quarter helped the Hornets reduce the deficit to one point late in the third quarter before Mount Gambier entered three-quarter time with a 66-62 lead.
Mount Gambier extended the lead to 11 with just under four minutes to play, but eight points within two minutes from Mitch Martin made it 90-85 with a minute to play.
But the Lakers held on to win by six points.
Hornets captain Mitch Martin led the way for Horsham with 27 points, including six three-pointers.
Cody Bryan finished with 15 points, Micah Livingstone had 14, Levi Munyard added 13, and Judd Wright continued his late-season form with 12 points.
Hornets coach Scott Benbow was proud of the team’s performance, admitting a strong second quarter from the Lakers was pivotal in the final result.
“We gave it everything we could,” Benbow said.
“We started unreal and got a good lead really quickly, and absolutely had Mount Gambier on the back foot.
“The defence was the best we played all year; we were really connected and really talking.”
“Mount Gambier changed their lineup for the second quarter and came back out a little bigger and a lot faster.
“They were up the floor on us and shot the ball really well in the second quarter, and we didn’t shoot as well as we did in the first.
“We reduced the lead and hung in with them and I had the feeling that we might be able to get over them like we did the week before, but Mount Gambier just made the plays when it counted.”
Benbow credited the contribution of all players, led by Mitch Martin’s stellar game.
“Mitch Martin, that was the best game he played all year for us; he kept us in the game,” Benbow said.
“Judd Wright was really solid all game, made some threes when he needed to.
“Cody Bryan was good defensively, and Levi did a great job on Kyle Tipene, keeping him to eight points.
“We tried different looks and different structures, but they’re a quality side.
Despite the loss, Benbow was happy with the season that was, acknowledging the team’s connectedness as a factor in their progress.
“They’re a connected group,” Benbow said.
“They all want to play basketball, and they want to play with their mates as well, and I think that’s a big part of why we have been successful over the last five seasons.
“We’re expecting more growth out of the next group coming through, with guys like Judd getting better.
“They’re a great group of guys and basketballers; it just took a very good team to beat us.”