KULAROOS Plymouth Raiders beat the Ex-Raiders All-Stars 89-88 in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Pavilions on Saturday night.

Club captain Gavin Love lifted the Bob Karruck Memorial Trophy in front of 1,327 fans following the victory.

The contest celebrated Raiders' silver anniversary season and honoured the team's late coach, Karruck.  Karruck's widow Margaret made the presentation in touching scenes following the final buzzer.

"It was a very poignant moment," said Raiders coach Gary Stronach, who played for the All-Stars. "Tonight was a celebration, but also in memory of people like Bob."

Before tip-off there was prolonged applause for Karruck, who died suddenly in 2003.  Players also wore white sweatbands with the initials 'BK' inscribed in black.

All-Star guard Mark Cahill, 32, who played for Raiders from 2000-05 and today teaches PE at Ivybridge Community College, said: "There was a really good atmosphere and it was just lovely tonight.  "And Bob was such a nice guy. I had so much respect for him and I know the other players all felt the same."

Stronach added: "It was a fantastic night, wasn't it? And the crowd got really into it. It was just a great night for Plymouth Raiders basketball club."

Forward Jamie Burchell led the current Raiders squad with 17 points, while guard Jeff Danchie, on his 24th birthday, had 15. Guard Drew Lasker added 13 points.

The All-Stars were led by 15 points apiece from guards Todd Cetnar and Jon Goodemote, who both flew in from the US to play. Forward Jamie Loveridge had 10 points.

A late 8-2 burst from Raiders overhauled the All-Stars, who led by as many as 16, 22-6 in the opening frame.

Guard Allister Gall and Lasker sparked the decisive run with three-pointers, before Burchell hit a long jump-shot from the right corner.

The All-Stars had 5.1 seconds left in the fourth to win it - but guard Gareth Laws' hurled alley-oop from the halfway line, intended for forward Pete Knechtel, was short and Raiders centre Terrence Durham swotted it away underneath the basket.

The result was secondary on a fun night at the Pavilions.

Raiders game-night commentator Keith Mollard and team manager Frank Pocock, the only club officials who remain from 1983 and the beginning, were also warmly acknowledged before tip.

But the biggest cheers of the night were reserved for former players Cetnar and centre Deng Deng.

"When you go back somewhere, you always wonder what reception you will get," said Cetnar, 30, who played for Raiders from 2000-02 and today works in sales back home in New York. "But, as usual, the fans were terrific tonight."

Deng rocked like a robot when he was announced to the arena in the player introductions. With a towel on his head.  How cool was that? Cooler than my dad's sideburns when I was a kid.

Deng's reception showcased how fondly he is still regarded by Raiders fans - a bona fide cult hero.  Cetnar, who too received a huge ovation, saved his footwork for the game.

He remains in good shape and ran the All-Stars' offence with authority, drilled passes into the post, and buried threes with a shooting stroke that hasn't deserted him.

Cetnar said: "It's always great to be back in Plymouth - and it was good to get out on the court tonight. I still play in the States, but it's nothing like coming back to play here in front of this crowd."

Goodemote, who played for Raiders in two spells from 1988-89 and 1991-94, had nine of his 15 points in an early 11-0 All-Star burst which built a 17-4 lead.

Raiders responded with a 10-2 run which cut the deficit to 37-34 late in the second.

Raiders only had their first lead of the night on Burchell's three from the right corner which put them 64-63 up late in the third.

Raiders led by as many as eight, 81-73 in the fourth before an 11-0 All-Star rally threatened an upset.

Loveridge enjoyed a reverse lay-up over Durham to pull it back to 81-77 before two Cetnar jumpers capped the surge and put the All-Stars 86-84 up.