Featured image: Stephen Schulz Photography
The Rockhampton Cyclones completed a perfect triple-header in the NBL1 North on the road on Sunday while it was the Logan Thunder men beating the Rockets in a thriller thanks to 38 points from Shaun Bruce.
There was just the one venue in action on Sunday to close Round 12 of the NBL1 North with the Rockhampton Cyclones beating Logan Thunder 89-71 while the Thunder men hit back to defeat the Rockets 90-88.
RECAP NBL1 NORTH | ROUND 12 SATURDAY
RECAP NBL1 NORTH | ROUND 12 FRIDAY
WOMEN
Logan Thunder (71) lost to Rockhampton Cyclones (89)
The Rockhampton Cyclones completed a perfect triple header on the road with the 89-71 win against the Logan Thunder to be closing in on a top two finish in the NBL1 North.
Rockhampton arrived at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre on Sunday having already beaten the Gold Coast Rollers and North Gold Coast Seahawks so far on the road this weekend and looking to complete the triple.
Logan came into the match up having lost the previous night as well to the Ipswich Force so they needed to bounce back to remain any hope of still taking part in the playoffs.
The Thunder would go on to be leading 21-17 by the end of the first quarter before the Cyclones went on a 10-0 scoring run in the second period to open up an 11-point lead.
That saw Rockhampton leading 47-36 by half-time and the lead for the Cyclones grew to as much as 28 points in the third quarter as well before they went on to secure the eventual 18-point victory.
Not only have Rockhampton won all three road games this weekend, but are on a six-game winning streak overall to improve to a 12-3 record with Lauren Heard finishing with 21 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Morgan Yaeger also contributed 21 points, three rebounds and two assists with Sam Bowman providing 12 points, five boards, five assists and three steals, Lara McSpadden 12 points, 12 rebounds and three assists, and Elizajane Loader 11 points, six assists and five boards.
Logan has now lost its past two games to slip to a 6-9 record with Jade Kirisome ending up top-scoring with 20 points on 4/14 three-point shooting.
Mikhaela Cann added 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds, Chevannah Paalvast 14 points, five assists and four steals, and Jaylen Cooper six points, three rebounds and two assists.
Logan has two games to go at home starting on Saturday against the South West Metro Pirates with Rockhampton back home for the last two matches starting Saturday against the Cairns Dolphins.
LOGAN THUNDER 71 (Kirisome 20, Paalvast 14, Cann 14)
ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 89 (Heard 21, Yaeger 21, Bowman 12, McSpadden 12)
MEN
Logan Thunder (90) defeated Rockhampton Rockets (88)
Sydney Kings NBL championship winning captain Shaun Bruce put up 38 points to lead Logan Thunder to a thrilling 90-88 win over the Rockhampton Rockets on Sunday afternoon.
Round 12 in the NBL1 North wrapped up with the match up at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre and with Logan trying to break into a top two position and Rockhampton the top six, there was plenty on the line for both teams.
Logan was coming off a loss to the Ipswich Force the previous night while Rockhampton was playing its third game on the road of the weekend having lost to the Gold Coast Rollers on Friday but beating the North Gold Coast Seahawks on Saturday.
It was Rockhampton clinging to a two-point lead at quarter-time but then Logan put up 31 points to 17 in the second stanza to go into the half-time break with the 53-41 lead.
The Rockets had every right to be exhausted playing a third game of the weekend but they went on a 10-0 run in the third quarter to close the deficit to two at three quarter-time.
Rockhampton then took the lead at the start of the fourth quarter thanks to an and-one play from Ben Tweedy, but Shaun Bruce immediately responded for Logan.
Tweedy and Bruce continued to trade buckets before Elijah Puna and Cameron Goldfinch knocked down three-pointers for their respective teams.
Goldfinch and Tweedy then combined to put Rockhampton out to a five-point lead but down the stretch Chris Cedar hit a three to bring the Thunder back within two before Zac Triplett tied scores up with a pair of free-throws.
In the end it was a three ball from Bruce with just under a minute to play that saw Logan regain a two-point lead which would end up sealing the deal when a Tweedy three-point attempt just before the buzzer for Rockhampton wouldn’t fall.
The Thunder went on to score the two-point win to improve to an 11-4 record to sit in third position with two games remaining with Shaun Bruce putting up 38 points to go with four assists, three rebounds and three steals.
The 317-game NBL veteran ended up shooting 15/25 from the floor, 4/9 from three-point territory and 4/5 from the foul line.
Zac Triplett added 24 points and four assists, Callum Dalton 11 points, 12 boards, three steals and two assists, and Isaiah Lee 10 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Rockhampton slips outside of the top six at 7-8 returning home with one win from three this weekend with Nighael Ceaser top-scoring with 20 points, 11 rebounds and two steals on 8/12 shooting.
Cameron Goldfinch added 17 points, three rebounds and three assists, Ben Tweedy 18 points, nine assists and five boards, Matur Maker 13 points and six rebounds, and Xavier Ford seven points and six boards.
Logan has two games to go at home starting on Saturday against the South West Metro Pirates with Rockhampton back home for the last two matches starting Saturday against the Cairns Marlins.
LOGAN THUNDER 90 (Bruce 38, Triplett 24, Dalton 11)
ROCKHAMPTON ROCKETS 88 (Ceaser 20, Tweedy 18, Goldfinch 17)
