07/11/2026
Pirates travelled almost 900 km to defeat Ockelbo, securing their fourth consecutive early-season win.
The teams went neck-and-neck during the first quarter, with the Pirates coming out slightly on top. A stronger second quarter allowed the Pirates to build an 8-point lead heading into halftime.
The second half turned into a physical, gritty 20 minutes as Ockelbo stepped up their aggression to disrupt the Pirates' flow. However, the team managed to ride out the storm and walk away with a comfortable road victory.
Coach Lou's Post-Game Comments:
"We knew this was a key game for our future success and a crucial opportunity to separate ourselves from the bottom teams. We faced this exact issue last season but dropped four 'must-win' games, which ultimately cost us a playoff spot. This season, we look a bit more stable and are closing out games with less difficulty.
Today was tough because Ockelbo fouls a lot. We didn't draw many in the first half, and the 13–5 foul differential was bound to balance out in the second half, which made Ockelbo extremely aggressive. Luckily, our guys kept a cool head, matched their physicality, and stood their ground even when the game got dirty.
Jordan is steadily getting back into game shape and had a great night leading our young group, who are gaining valuable experience with every match. Adam is proving more and more that he is comfortable playing at both ends of the floor at this level, contributing heavily today. Meanwhile, Ibo is finding his flow and doing great things for us that don't always show up on the stat sheet.
It's also worth noting that we had a poor week of practice with almost no live action due to health issues, yet the team still came out on top."
Now, the team looks forward to new challenges next weekend. Go Pirates!
