Abby Cubillo had a start to First Nations Round in NBL1 North to savour on Friday for the Southern Districts Spartans while Leah Scott, Mia Loyd, Mason Honeyman, Kai Woodfall, Todd Blanchfield and Isaac White all delivered standout performances.
Friday night's women's action saw the South West Metro Pirates defeat the Sunshine Coast Phoenix 82-62 while the Southern Districts Spartans downed the Brisbane Capitals 88-73, and the Cairns Dolphins beat the Mackay Meteorettes 96-85.
The men's results then saw the Pirates beat the Phoenix 100-82, the Spartans defeat the Capitals 83-78, and the Meteors down the Marlins 129-75.
RECAP NBL1 NORTH | ROUND 12 SUNDAY
WOMEN
South West Metro Pirates (82) defeated Sunshine Coast Phoenix (62)
The South West Metro Pirates further entrenched themselves in the playoffs with the 82-62 victory over the Sunshine Coast Phoenix with another 27 points from Leah Scott.
The Pirates were back home at Hibiscus Sports Stadium looking to make it consecutive wins while hosting Phoenix team just looking to end the season on a positive note.
South West Metro got the better of the start with 19 points to 13 in the opening quarter before seeing that lead grow to as much as 11 points in the second term.
Sunshine Coast were keeping things interesting, though, and ended up outscoring the Pirates 23 points to 19 in the second term to go into half-time only trailing by two points.
It was still only a two-point advantage for South West Metro at three quarter-time, but the home team then dominated the final frame with 24 points to six to end up winning by 20.
The win improves the Pirates to 9-6 record on the season with back-to-back victories and Leah Scott continued her dazzling form with another 27 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals including making 4/5 from three-point range.
Bronte Corke also contributed 19 points, four assists and three rebounds on 5/9 shooting from downtown with Taya Hanson adding 18 points, seven assists and four boards, and Charlotte Whittaker 12 points, 16 rebounds and three steals.
Sunshine Coast slips to 2-13 on the season with Nicola Handreck ending up with 21 points and two steals.
Amy Browne also had 14 points and four rebounds, Carlie Smith 10 points and 16 boards, and Haylee Andrews 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Pirates play on the road to Logan Thunder on Saturday while the Phoenix play again on Saturday at home to the Northside Wizards.
SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 82 (Scott 27, Corke 19, Hanson 18)
SUNSHINE COAST PHOENIX 62 (Handreck 21, Browne 14, Andrews 10, Smith 10)
Southern Districts Spartans (88) defeated Brisbane Capitals (73)
The Southern Districts Spartans made it seven straight wins with Abby Cubillo celebrating First Nations Round with 26 points in the 88-73 victory against the Brisbane Capitals.
The Spartans were back home at Rowland Cowan Stadium on a six-match winning run and looking to finish as high up as they can while hosting a Capitals team still a chance to play playoffs should they snap their losing slide.
Brisbane made that a strong chance of happening too with 33 points to 17 in the opening period. The Caps would score 13 consecutive points and end up leading by as much as 16 by quarter-time.
The Capitals were still leading 48-36 by half-time but Southern Districts turned the tide in the third quarter with 27 points to 16.
It was another 25 points to nine in the final period too for the Spartans as they would end up going on a 25-0 run to tear the game apart and end up scoring the eventual 15-point victory.
The win is a seventh in-a-row for Southern Districts who improve to 11-4 on the season as a result with Abby Cubillo starring in her best performance since returning from her knee reconstruction.
She celebrated First Nations Round as well for NAIDOC Week with 26 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists on the back of shooting 7/13 from the floor, 3/4 from three-point land and 9/9 at the free-throw line.
Ariana Moorer added 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the Spartans, Maddy Allen 12 points, four boards and four assists, and Kalani Purcell 10 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and two assists.
The Capitals have now lost three in-a-row to fall further from playoff contention with a 7-8 record with Megan Mullings providing 17 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots.
Lil Dart added 17 points, eight assists and five rebounds, Hannah Young 15 points and six boards, and Hannah Hank 15 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.
The Capitals will back up at home to the Gold Coats Rollers on Saturday with the Spartans on the road for a double next weekend to close the season starting Friday to Rockhampton.
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 88 (Cubillo 26, Moorer 19, Allen 12)
BRISBANE CAPITALS 73 (Dart 17, Mullings 17, Young 15, Hank 15)
Mackay Meteorettes (85) lost to Cairns Dolphins (96)
The Cairns Dolphins continue to finish the season with some momentum and Mia Loyd once again starred in the 96-85 road win against the Mackay Meteorettes.
Cairns might have just had one win on the board coming into Friday's match up at Mackay Basketball Stadium but after losing the opening 11 games of the season, the last month has been highly encouraging for the Dolphins.
They broke through for that win against the Gold Coast Rollers but also have gone close in losses to Rockhampton, South West Metro and Mackay head into the road trip to face the Meteorettes.
Mackay was just about out of the running for the playoffs coming into the contest as well and it was the Dolphins who got the better of the start to be leading 24-15 by quarter-time.
Cairns then had a stunning offensive outburst in the second period putting up 37 points. Mackay did its best to stick with them with 25 points themselves, but the Dolphins still went into half-time in control at 61-44.
The Dolphins maintained that advantage throughout the second half as well on the way to the eventual 11-point win to improve to a 2-13 record.
Mia Loyd was again dazzling in the win for Cairns finishing with 32 points, 15 rebounds and five assists on the back of shooting 13/18 from the floor and 6/10 at the foul line.
She had plenty of help too with Samantha Keltos delivering 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals, Teyahna Bond 18 points and six assists, and Leichan Williams 15 points and eight boards on 6/8 shooting.
Any hope that Mackay were clinging to as far as playoffs go are now over with the loss to see them slip to 6-10 with just one match to go.
Chelsea Brook top-scored in the loss for the Meteorettes with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four steals with Taylor Mole adding 20 points, seven boards, three steals and two blocks, and Nikita Van Wyk 17 points and five rebounds.
Cairns is on the road still on Saturday to Rockhampton while Mackay has one game in the season to go and that's at home to the Southern Districts Spartans next Saturday.
MACKAY METEORETTES 85 (Brook 22, Mole 20, Van Wyk 17)
CAIRNS DOLPHINS 96 (Loyd 32, Teyahna Bond 18, Keltos 18)
MEN
Southern Districts Spartans (83) defeated Brisbane Capitals (78)
It was fourth against fifth in Friday night's NBL1 North and it was the Southern Districts Spartans who kept on winning with the 83-78 victory over the Brisbane Capitals.
It was always going to be a fascinating match up at Rowland Cowan Stadium with Peter Crawford's Spartans looking for a third straight win and Greg Vanderjagt's Capitals out to build on last week's win over the Townsville Heat.
Both are trying to finish as high up as they can as well and it was Southern Districts even in the absence of Tyrell Harrison and with Jeremy Kendle's stint over who were leading 26-19 by quarter-time.
That lead continued to grow for the Spartans with another 19 points to 13 in the second term and they went into the half-time break leading 45-32.
Southern Districts then pushed that out to a 19-point lead in the third quarter and while the Capitals did mount a fightback, it proved a mountain just too high to climb and the Spartans held firm for the eventual five-point victory.
The win improves Southern Districts to a 9-6 record on the season now with three straight wins with Mason Honeyman producing 28 points, five rebounds and three steals on 10/15 shooting from the floor, 2/3 from downtown and 6/9 from the free-throw line.
Mitch Norton might have spent the week back in Perth, but was back for the Friday night match up and put up 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks along with Corey Shervill adding 10 points, five boards, two assists and two steals.
Max Kerle also had 10 points, nine rebounds and four steals, and Josh Derksen 10 points and three boards.
Brisbane slips to 9-6 too with the defeat with Sam McDaniel delivering another 19 points and six rebounds while Isaih Tueta had 14 points and six assists.
Matthew Johns added 12 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals, and Gabe Hadley 10 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots.
The Capitals will back up at home to the Gold Coats Rollers on Saturday with the Spartans on the road for a double next weekend to close the season starting Friday to Rockhampton.
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 83 (Honeyman 28, Norton 15, Derksen 10, Shervill 10)
BRISBANE CAPITALS 78 (McDaniel 19, Tueta 14, Johns 12)
South West Metro Pirates (100) defeated Sunshine Coast Phoenix (81)
The South West Metro Pirates snapped their losing streak and all but ended the playoff aspirations of the Sunshine Coast Phoenix at the same time with the 100-81 victory.
The Pirates were back home at Hibiscus Sports Stadium and looking to snap a five-match losing streak as they hosed a Phoenix still holding out hope of sneaking into the top six if they were able to go on a winning run over the final two weekends.
It was a stunning start to the contest from South West Metro with the home team flying to an 18-point lead on the back of scoring 12 consecutive points.
The Pirates were still leading 27-15 by the end of the first quarter and the trend continued the rest of the evening.
South West Metro would go on to open up a lead of as much as 22 points in the second quarter on the Phoenix, which grew to 27 points in the second half and ultimately they would go on to score the 19-point victory.
The win is a fifth of the season for the Pirates with Kai Woodfall leading the charge with 23 points on the back of knocking down 6/13 from three-point range.
Brendan Teys also had 21 points, four assists and three rebounds with Jeremy McLaughlin contributing 17 points, 12 boards and five steals, and young gun Roman Siulepa 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Lamar Patterson is also looking to finish an injury-interrupted season on a high note and contributed 15 points, nine assists, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the win for South West Metro.
The Phoenix have lost their past two games now to slip to a 6-9 record and further out of the race for sixth spot with Jamaal Robateau top-scoring with 17 points and four rebounds.
Kobe McDowell-White also provided 13 points, six assists, three rebounds and three steals, and Duom Dawam 10 points and six boards.
The Pirates play on the road to Logan Thunder on Saturday while the Phoenix play again on Saturday at home to the Northside Wizards.
SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 100 (Woodfall 23, Teys 21, Siulepa 18)
SUNSHINE COAST PHOENIX 81 (J Robateau 17, McDowell-White 13, Dawam 10)
Mackay Meteors (129) defeated Cairns Marlins (75)
The Mackay Meteors confirmed themselves the regular season championship with the 129-75 home win over the Cairns Marlins with Todd Blanchfield and Isaac White combining for 62 points.
It was the second last game of the regular season for the Meteors as they hosted the sixth placed Marlins at Mackay Basketball Stadium with the chance to confirm top spot.
Cairns, however, also needed to keep winning to stay in the top six coming into the penultimate round of the regular season so it set up a fascinating match up.
The Meteors managed to score 12 straight points during the first quarter to open up a double-figure lead and to be on top 29-21 by the end of one.
That lead grew to 19 points in the second term with Mackay heading into the half-time interval on top 58-45.
It was then a remarkable third quarter performance from Mackay as they piled on 46 points up one end and only conceded six up the other to see that including an 18-0 scoring run with the lead growing to as much as 53 points.
That extended to 59 points in the final stanza before the Meteors went on to win by 54 to improve to a 14-2 record on the season to be guaranteed of top spot.
Australian 3x3 representative and 402-game NBL veteran Todd Blanchfield produced 31 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists on 6/10 three-point shooting for Mackay.
Isaac White added 31 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals on 4/6 shooting from deep with Amarco Doyle contributing 11 points, six boards and three steals, and Emmett Naar nine points, 11 assists and four rebounds.
Cairns is now in jeopardy of missing the playoffs with the loss leaving them 7-8 with Kody Stattmann finishing with 25 points on 8/17 shooting from the field and 8/10 from the foul line.
Kian Dennis added 13 points, five rebounds and three steals while Alex Mudronja contributed 11 points, four boards and three assists, and Josh Kunen six points, five rebounds and two steals.
Cairns is on the road still on Saturday to Rockhampton while Mackay has one game in the season to go and that's at home to the Southern Districts Spartans next Saturday.
MACKAY METEORS 129 (Blanchfield 31, White 31, Doyle 11)
CAIRNS MARLINS 75 (Kody Stattmann 25, Dennis 13, Mudronja 11)
