Geraldton Buccaneers introduce Josh Braun and defend home fortress against weaker Lakeside Lightning

Geraldton kept their wins rolling as they took care of business in the fourth quarter to pick up an 89-70 NBL1 West win over the Lakeside Lightning at home on Saturday.

The Buccaneers had all the reason to be confident going into the match against a winless Lightning team, with the side welcoming US import Josh Braun and Buccaneer Fletcher Klasztorny on the court for the first time this season.

Lakeside did not roll over however, and it was still a close contest early.

The home side managed to build a big early lead, with Nik DeSantis continuing to prove his ability to score with 10 points in the first quarter.

Lightning came back with a second quarter scoring run, and the game looked up for grabs during the third quarter.

The fourth quarter is where Geraldton put the game to bed, outscoring their opposition 26-12 to take home the win.

DeSantis finished as the points and assists leader with 24 and eight, Johny Narkle had 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, Klasztorny had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists, and Aaron Ralph had 10 points and four rebounds.

While the newest face on the team, Braun, scored nine points off three deep shots in the limited minutes he played after arriving in Geraldton on Thursday.

Despite the additions to the team at the weekend, DeSantis has proven successful as the primary ball handler and sits fifth in the league for assists, averaging six per game.

The third import in Josh Keyes also sits sixth in the league for steals, averaging 2.25 per game.

The win puts the Buccaneers second on the ladder with a 4-0 record. They are one of only two teams that remain undefeated — the other being the Joondalup Wolves, who Geraldton beat in last year’s grand final.

Geraldton will remain at home this week as they host the Goldfields Giants on Saturday night, who are sitting fifth on the ladder with a 2-2 record.