Recap NBL1 North | Round 4 Sunday

Feature images via: Taylor Earnshaw Photography / Juddric Photography

It was a pair of big Sunday NBL1 North wins for Rockhampton on the road while Sam McDaniel inspired the Brisbane Capitals to overcome his Brisbane Bullets teammates at the Southern Districts Spartans.

The two Sunday women's NBL1 North contests saw the Rockhampton Cyclones defeat the South West Metro Pirates 82-68, and the Brisbane Capitals down the Southern Districts Spartans 73-70.

The men's match up then had the Rockhampton Rockets beat the Pirates 116-86, and the Capitals defeat the Spartans 74-69.

RECAP NBL1 NORTH | ROUND 4 SATURDAY

RECAP NBL1 NORTH | ROUND 4 FRIDAY

WOMEN

South West Metro Pirates (68) lost to Rockhampton Cyclones (82)

The mighty impressive start to the season of the Rockhampton Cyclones continued on Sunday with the 82-68 road victory against the South West Metro Pirates.

Coming off losing last year's Grand Final series to the Northside Wizards, Rockhampton has been playing like a team on a mission so far in 2024 having won all four matches coming into taking on the Pirates at Hibiscus Sports Stadium.

That included the Cyclones beginning their road double on Saturday beating Ipswich by 19 points while South West Metro came into the match also having won their first three games, and playing their only game of the weekend.

That set up a tantalising match up between the two undefeated teams but after the Pirates led by four early in the first quarter, Rockhampton assumed control and would end up leading by two at quarter-time.

The Cyclones would remain in control the rest of the contest to end up leading by 16 points in the second quarter after scoring 13 straight points with that lead growing out to 21 in the second half before they held firm for the 14-point win.

The victory improves Rockhampton to a 5-0 record with Morgan Yaeger delivering 25 points on 9/22 shooting from the floor, 2/4 from three-point range and 5/5 at the foul line.

Lara McSpadden also delivered 21 points and 17 rebounds on 9/12 shooting for the Cyclones while Lauren Heard contributed 13 points, nine assists, seven boards and three steals, and Sam Bowman nine points, 10 rebounds and two assists.

It's a first loss of the season after three straight wins for South West Metro with Leah Scott putting up 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists on 10/13 at the foul line.

Jasmin Howe also had 14 points and six rebounds, Bronte Corke nine points and three boards, and Alana Fraser seven points and five assists.

The Pirates will be next in action next Sunday also at home to the Brisbane Capitals while the Cyclones will be out of action until hosting the Northside Wizards on Sunday May 19.

SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 68 (Scott 24, Howe 14, Corke 9)

ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 82 (Yaeger 25, McSpadden 21, Heard 13)

Southern Districts Spartans (70) lost to Brisbane Capitals (73)

The Brisbane Capitals had to hold off a late charge from the Southern Districts Spartans for the 73-70 victory on Sunday afternoon.

The Spartans had started the season well winning three of four games ahead of being back at Rowland Cowan Stadium to host the Capitals on Sunday with Brisbane hunting a second win so far of 2024.

Brisbane made the blistering start to lead by 14 points already in the first quarter, but Southern Districts turned the tide and managed to be leading by a point by quarter-time.

The Spartans continued on that momentum to lead by as much as seven in the second term, but it was Brisbane's turn to grab the momentum as they outscored the home team 20 points to 15 in the second period to then go into half-time leading 40-36.

The Capitals took charge in the second half to lead by as much as 13 points, but just when they looked to be cruising to the win, the Spartans made a late charge on their home floor.

Triples from Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard and Maddy Allen in the final minute suddenly made it a three-point ball game and Kalani Purcell even scored inside to make it two in the dying seconds.

When she turned that into a three-point play it was a one-point ball game but the Spartans had to foul to avoid time running out and Georgia Dale hit the two clutch free-throws for the Caps.

However, Southern Districts still had one last chance to send it to overtime but Ariana Moorer's triple wouldn’t fall with Brisbane winning by three to improve to 2-4 on the season.

Lil Dart delivered 20 points, four rebounds and three assists in the win for the Capitals with Hannah Hank contributing 17 points, 11 rebounds and three steals, Hannah Young 13 points, six boards and four assists, and Megan Mullings 12 points and nine rebounds.

The Spartans are 3-2 following the loss with Ariana Moorer finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals while Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard added 11 points and 11 boards, and Steph Bairstow 10 points and six rebounds.

The Spartans will be at home to Logan Thunder on Saturday night with the Capitals on the road to the South West Metro Pirates next Sunday.

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 70 (Moorer 19, Clinch Hoycard 11, Bairstow 10)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 73 (Dart 20, Hank 17, Young 13)

MEN

South West Metro Pirates (86) defeated Rockhampton Rockets (116)

The Rockhampton Rockets unleashed their firepower with Nighael Ceaser leading the way with 32 points in Sunday's 116-86 big road win over the South West Metro Pirates.

Rockhampton opened its account for the 2024 season beating the defending champion Ipswich Force on Saturday night leading into the Sunday match up with the Pirates at Hibiscus Sports Stadium.

It was the only appearance of the weekend for South West Metro with them attempting to make it three wins from four games to open the season.

The Pirates did start well enough too to be leading by as much as seven in the first quarter and still clinging to the 23-22 advantage by quarter-time.

But Rockhampton took the lead at the start of the second quarter and never looked back with the Rockets piling on 31 points to 10 in the second frame on the way to the 53-33 lead at the half-time interval.

The Rockhampton lead got out to 21 points in the third quarter and then got out to as much as 30 in the final period before the Rockets made quite the statement with the eventual 30-point triumph on the back of putting 116 points on the board.

The Rockets finished the game shooting 51 per cent from the field while going 25/37 at the foul line while pulling down 58 rebounds to 51 including 16 at the offensive end.

Nighael Ceaser was superb in the win for Rockhampton with 32 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three steals on 11/16 shooting from the floor and 9/11 at the free-throw line.

He got plenty of help too with Matur Maker delivering 21 points and 16 rebounds, Xavier Ford 12 points, five boards, five assists and four steals, and Ben Tweedy 12 points and 16 assists.

Hayden Richardson also had 17 points, four assists and three rebounds on shooting 4/8 from beyond the arc.

An early injury to Lamar Patterson didn’t help the cause of the Pirates with Brendan Teys finishing with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Lachlan Anderson 17 points, four assists and three boards, Roman Siulepa 12 points and eight rebounds, and Ben Volkman 12 points and 12 boards.

Christian Pang also put up 16 points, three rebounds and two steals.

The Pirates will be next in action next Sunday also at home to the Brisbane Capitals while the Rockets will be out of action until hosting the Northside Wizards on Sunday May 19.

SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 86 (Teys 21, Anderson 17, Pang 16)

ROCKHAMPTON ROCKETS 116 (Ceaser 32, Maker 21, Richardson 17)

Southern Districts Spartans (69) lost to Brisbane Capitals (74)

With no shortage of high quality talent and experience on either side, it was a fascinating Sunday battle with the Brisbane Capitals prevailing 74-69 against the Southern Districts Spartans.

The Spartans were back home at Rowland Cowan Stadium hunting their second win of the season but with a team featuring Brisbane Bullets pair Mitch Norton and Tyrell Harrison, Tasmania JackJumpers championship winner Jarred Bairstow along with former Perth Wildcats guard Corey Shervill and coached by Peter Crawford.

They were up against a Capitals team coached by Bullets assistant Greg Vanderjagt and featuring Brisbane's Sam McDaniel, development players Matthew Johns and Gabe Hadley, and former NBL player Isaih Tueta.

So it was quite the mouth watering match up and both teams had their turns with 14-point leads throughout the afternoon.

The Spartans had their turn with the 14-point advantage during the second quarter but Brisbane responded and by half-time and pulled the margin back to just two points.

The Caps kept that momentum going into the second half to be out to a 10-point lead in the third quarter and then out to a 14-point advantage in the fourth.

However, Southern Districts weren’t done with yet and went on a 14-0 run to draw scores back level with 30 seconds to go after Harrison scored inside.

It was his Bullets teammate, McDaniel, who responded with a huge three-pointer that rattled in and that would prove the biggest shot of the game with the Capitals going on to score the five-point win and improve to 2-4 as a result.

McDaniel finished the afternoon with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals in the win for the Caps with Gabe Hadley contributing 18 points, four boards and three assists on 4/5 three-point shooting.

Cameron Thew added nine points and seven rebounds, Isaih Tueta eight points, six rebounds and three assists, and Matthew Johns seven points, eight boards and three assists.

Southern Districts remains the only team in the NBL1 North without multiple wins at 1-4 despite Harrison producing 22 points, 14 rebounds, six blocked shots and two steals.

His Bullets teammate Norton added 16 points and two assists with Jarred Bairstow contributing 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Corey Shervill nine points and five boards.

The Spartans will be at home to Logan Thunder on Saturday night with the Capitals on the road to the South West Metro Pirates next Sunday.

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 69 (Harrison 22, Norton 16, Bairstow 10)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 74 (McDaniel 21, Hadley 18, Thew 9)