ABA 2025-26: Raiders shock Barking Owls to grab third win of the season as Sam O’Toole-Gardner stands tall

Raiders provided the shock of the round with victory over Barking Owls in the Albany Basketball Association men’s A-grade on Tuesday night. Their round 13 triumph was their third of the season and it allowed them to make up some ground on the Owls who currently occupy the last finals’ position. Sam O’Toole-Gardner was the main contributor, topping their list of points-scorers as Raiders turned a two-point advantage at half-time into a 34-28 victory. O’Toole-Gardner grabbed 11 points and Eli Eaton added nine, with Charlie McGregor (seven points), Marley Cox (five) and Andre De Giambattista (two) completing the Raiders’ tally. Other than in the earliest moments of the first half, the Owls were forced to play catch-up all night, Aiden Polette and Gabriel Ang giving them a 4-2 advantage in the first five minutes. However, they were quickly overhauled, Eaton’s three-pointer putting Raiders 5-4 up and O’Toole-Gardner adding two more points without reply as Raiders kicked on. Owls gave it a go after the break, Polette twice reducing the deficit to a single point but a long-range shot from Cox and then two points from the free throw line from Charlie McGregor put the youngsters back in control. In the other men’s A-grade contests, Sonics Blue marched on while Railways Tigers beat Sonics Grey. Blue’s 65-32 trouncing of Denmark Magpies was their 13th win in a row and they top the ladder with a perfect record. Their eight-point advantage over the Tigers at the head of the table could theoretically be overhauled, with three regular rounds of the competition remaining, but the odds would be high on them being caught. David Arthur excelled again with 18 points, but Anton Ausburn was just one behind and Mark Elentorio grabbed 13 as Magpies were overwhelmed by half time. Kye Griffiths was the top-scorer on the night for the Magpies with 13 points, with Nathaniel Wilkes next best on seven. The Tigers were 47-38 winners over bottom side Sonics Grey despite Grey’s Thomas Phillips bagging the best haul of the game. Phillips’ 21 points were not enough as Tigers’ Drew Willcocks led the way for a Railways side who took control after an even opening spell and were 24-16 ahead at half-time. The top two in the four-team women’s competition met for the fifth time this campaign with Barking Owls getting the better of their rivals 47-44. Owls have had the edge in their meetings so far, with four wins and a loss. Rebecca Benson and Maddy Graham each grabbed a dozen points for the Owls while Ali Judd and Danielle Carne each hauled 11 for Denmark Magpies. The Owls were 13 points up at the break but Magpies were fastest out of the blocks in the second half as Judd hit two three-pointers to narrow the margin. They were within three points when Casey Gabriel scored for 35-38 but Owls held on in an exciting finish. Railways Tigers have lost all their games, but they battled away against Sonics A before going down 41-35. Kaylee Arthur was unstoppable for Sonics, bagging 20 points, while Tigers’ Sophie Pearson grabbed the best haul of the match, with 21 points in a losing cause.