Nick Payne has signed again with the Knox Raiders for next season.
By Greg Oakford
KNOX Raiders have bolstered their chances of taking out reigning Conference Championship titles as Nick Payne and Sean Carroll renewed their contracts for the 2009 season.
Both players were instrumental in helping the Raiders lead an injury-plagued team to a SEABL East Championship against Bendigo at Knox Converse Stadium in front of a sold-out crowd last August.
Payne transferred to Knox after several outstanding seasons playing for the Albury/Wodonga Bandits and instantly gave the Raiders an additional offensive threat, with his ability to slash to the basket and shoot from anywhere on the floor.
After somewhat of an inconsistent regular season, the 27-year-old stepped up enormously for the Raiders when teammates CJ Massingale and captain Glenn Siegle went down with injuries in successive weeks (Rounds 18 and 19).
A 46-point, 10-rebound effort against arch-rivals Kilsyth on 12 July was a sign for more good things to come from the guard.
In a must-win last regular season away game against his former club, Payne posted 27 points and 13 rebounds as the Raiders won to secure the minor premiership.
Although hampered by foul trouble in the semi-final against North-West Tasmania, Payne would play a vital role without the services of Massingale and Siegle, scoring 16 points and putting counterparts Bradley Knuckles and Nick Haywood in serious foul trouble themselves.
But it was his performance in the Conference Grand Final which Raider fans will remember him by most.
Payne was the catalyst for the Raiders on the offensive end and notched up game-high 30 points on 50 per cent shooting as he earned his first title as a SEABL player.
Joining Payne in the backcourt will be dynamic point guard Sean Carroll, who will enter his seventh season with the Raiders at SEABL level.
The Raiders junior had his most consistent year yet after being named the Australian Youth Player of the Year for the South Conference in 2007.
Carroll posted respectable all-round numbers with 10.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 4.7 apg while polling fifth in the Golden Hands Award.
His 4.7 assists per contest was good enough for fourth in the conference but it was his three-point shooting that really elevated his game, finishing 5th at 39.5 per cent.
Not known for high offensive outputs, Carroll recorded a career-high 30 points on 63.2 per cent field goal shooting, including four three-pointers against Ballarat on the road in round 13 which saw the Raiders rally from four points down at the end of the third quarter to win by 16.
With Siegle’s retirement more than likely, Carroll will become the Raiders’ most experienced player at SEABL level.
“We had a good year blending with CJ (Massingale), Lester (Strong), Nick (Payne) and Brigs (Daniel Briglia) and I think that will only get better. From a personal stand point, I’m trying to get fitter and come back better and hopefully as a team we can go that next step and win the whole thing (SEABL overall championship),” said Carroll.
“I think the three of us (Sean, CJ and Nick) will have to work harder on the defensive end this year. We’ll need to take on extra leadership, especially when it’s crunch time. Glenn was always about the team and the win. We’ll need to pick up that slack.”
