Featured images: P2DK Photography | @p2dk_photography | Paul Shaw
A huge triple-double from Mikaela Ruef ensured the North Gold Coast Seahawks bounced back in the NBL1 North with Cameron Healy's clutch free throws seeing the Seahawks men also beat the Gold Coast Rollers.
Saturday night's women's NBL1 North results saw the Southern Districts Spartans beat the Brisbane Capitals 85-66 while the North Gold Coast Seahawks defeated the Gold Coast Rollers 76-59, the Northside Wizards downed the Darwin Salties 122-91, the South West Metro Pirates won 83-75 against the Mackay Meteorettes, and the Townsville Flames beat the Rockhampton Cyclones 89-74.
The men's matches then saw the Rockets beat the Heat 97-88, the Meteors defeat the Pirates 103-89, the Salties down the Wizards 87-80, the Seahawks win 87-86 against the Rollers, and the Capitals beat the Spartans 103-90.
RECAP NBL1 NORTH | ROUND 9 FRIDAY
RECAP NBL1 NORTH | HERITAGE ROUND 1 SATURDAY
WOMEN
Brisbane Capitals (66) lost to Southern Districts Spartans (85)
A spot in the top six went on the line and it was the Southern Districts Spartans proving too strong with the 85-66 win against the Brisbane Capitals.
The Caps were back home at Auchenflower Stadium and sitting in sixth position up against the seventh placed Spartans setting the stage for a crucial contest.
Brisbane were on a five-game winning run but it was Southern Districts who started the better to open up a 14-point lead in the first quarter and to be leading 20-12 after one.
The Caps did work back into the contest with an 11-0 run and that cut the Spartans lead back to 40-34 at half-time.
Brisbane even briefly grabbed the lead in the third period, but then it was all Southern Districts in the fourth frame as they put up 33 points to 15 to end up claiming the 19-point victory.
The victory improves the Spartans to a 6-4 record to see them replace Brisbane in the top six with Kalani Purcell delivering 18 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Ariana Moorer added 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals, Maddy Allen 15 points and four assists, and Steph Bairstow 13 points and five rebounds.
Brisbane slips to 6-5 with its five-game winning run coming to an end with Lil Dart finishing with 20 points and four assists on shooting 5/13 from three-point territory.
Hannah Hank contributed 13 points, 13 rebounds and four assists with Hannah Young adding 11 points and seven boards.
The Capitals are back in action next Sunday at home to the Darwin Salties with the Spartans to host that same Darwin team on Saturday.
BRISBANE CAPITALS 66 (Dart 20, Hank 13, Young 11)
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 85 (Purcell 18, Moorer 18, Allen 15)
North Gold Coast Seahawks (76) defeated Gold Coast Rollers (59)
It was the battle for the Gold Coast and with a huge triple-double from Mikaela Ruef and the return of Miela Goodchild, the North Gold Coast Seahawks claimed the 76-59 victory over the Gold Coast Rollers.
North Gold Coast came into the contest at home at Runaway Bay Stadium looking to bounce back from a loss to the South West Metro Pirates with the Rollers hunting a third consecutive victory.
It was a hot opening to the contest from the Seahawks as they went on a 12-0 scoring run on the way to the 26-11 lead by quarter-time.
That lead got out to 19 points as well in the second term and North Gold Coast remained in control with the 41-29 advantage at the half-time interval.
That difference kept growing in the favour of the Seahawks getting out to a game high 21 points in the second half. Neither team could get going in the last quarter with nine points for North Gold Coast and just eight from Gold Coast.
That ended up seeing the Seahawks claim the 17-point victory to improve to a 9-2 record on the season with Mikaela Ruef outstanding with a huge triple-double made up of 23 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.
Miela Goodchild was also back into the line-up for 17 points and six rebounds with Grace Champion contributing 20 points and three steals on 4/7 three-point shooting, and Majella Carey 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.
The Rollers are now 3-7 with the defeat with Myah Selland producing 15 points and four rebounds with Kate Deeble contributing 14 points and eight boards, Taylor Lee eight points, five rebounds and five assists, and Lisa Koop eight points and three boards.
The Seahawks are back at home on Friday night against the Southern Districts Spartans with the Rollers heading north to play the Townsville Flames on Friday as well.
NORTH GOLD COAST SEAHAWKS 76 (Ruef 23, Champion 20, Goodchild 17)
GOLD COAST ROLLERS 59 (Selland 15, Deeble 14, Koop 8, Lee 8)
Northside Wizards (122) defeated Darwin Salties (91)
The undefeated defending champion Northside Wizards made another statement at home on Saturday night with the 122-91 win over the visiting Darwin Salties.
The Wizards were back home at Northside Indoor Sports Centre putting their perfect record as defending champions on the line up against a Darwin team having started its road double with a Friday night win.
The Salties won on Friday by 22 points away to the Sunshine Coast Phoenix to set up their crack at the Wizards but the reigning champs made their move early with 38 points to 27 in the opening period.
The Salties did well to limit the damage in the second quarter with the Wizards seeing their advantage cut to 66-57 by the half-time break.
Northside were able to extend that lead back out to 14 at three quarter-time and then it was all the Wizards in the final stanza with 27 points to 10 to end up securing the 31-point victory.
It's a 12th straight win on the season for the Wizards after winning last year's championship with AJ Johnson proving unstoppable with 32 points, 16 rebounds and four assists on 13/16 from the floor with 3/3 from three-point range, and 3/4 at the foul line.
Erin Bollmann also delivered 27 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals on 10/14 shooting with Nadeen Payne contributing 19 points, seven boards and five assists, Kelsey McDermott 12 points and four assists, and Jess McDowell-White nine points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals.
Darwin is now 7-4 on the season following the defeat with Courtney Woods doing what she could for the Salties with 24 points, nine assists and seven rebounds on 9/17 shooting with 6/6 from the foul line.
Ashley Harris also had 19 points and five rebounds on 4/6 three-point shooting with Cat MacGregor adding 15 points on 5/11 shooting from deep, and Ruby Porter 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
The Wizards are back home again next Saturday against the North Gold Coast Seahawks with Darwin on the road for a double again next week to the Spartans on Saturday and Capitals on Sunday.
NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 122 (Johnson 32, Bollmann 27, Payne 19)
DARWIN SALTIES 91 (Woods 24, Harris 19, MacGregor 15)
South West Metro Pirates (83) defeated Mackay Meteorettes (75)
A combined 53 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists from Taya Hanson and Leah Scott helped lift the South West Metro Pirates to the 83-75 home win over the Mackay Meteorettes.
The Pirates were back on their home floor at Hibiscus Sports Stadium looking to back up last week's win against the North Gold Coast Seahawks up against a Mackay team in the middle of a triple-header road trip.
The Meteorettes did beat the Ipswich Force the previous night by 17 points with Taylor Mole delivering 49 points and 19 rebounds so the stage was set for a tantalising match up.
South West Metro managed to lead 18-14 by quarter-time and then the Pirates blew that out to a 17-point advantage in the second period and went into half-time leading 44-33.
Mackay did fight back into the contest by scoring 12 straight points and even grabbed the lead briefly on the back of putting up 30 points in the third quarter.
South West Metro did manage to still cling to a 70-63 lead by three quarter-time and then the Pirates went on with the job to score the eight-point win at home.
The victory improves South West Metro to a 5-5 record on the season with back-to-back wins with Taya Hanson outstanding with 28 points, five rebounds and five assists with 5/9 three-point shooting.
Leah Scott also produced 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists with 5/6 shooting from downtown while Bronte Corke contributed 10 points, four assists and three boards, and Charlotte Whittaker 10 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots.
Mackay has now split the first two games of its road triple to be 4-6 on the season and it might not have quite been the heroics of the night before, but Taylor Mole still shone with 26 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Samantha Haiby had another 20 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals, and Chelsea Brook 14 points, 10 boards, three blocked shots and two steals.
Mackay will now complete the road triple-header on Sunday against the Logan Thunder while the Pirates play host to Logan Thunder on Saturday night.
SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 83 (Hanson 28, Scott 25, Whittaker 10, Corke 10)
MACKAY METEORETTES 75 (Mole 26, Haiby 20, Brook 14)
Townsville Flames (89) defeated Rockhampton Cyclones (74)
The Townsville Flames maintained their hold on second position in the NBL1 North on the back of a hot start to set up the 89-74 home victory against the Rockhampton Cyclones.
Townsville came into the contest at StarFM Stadium looking to back up last week's bounce back win over the Sunshine Coast Phoenix after their six-game winning run was ended at the hands of the Northside Wizards.
Rockhampton arrived having split their games with the Darwin Salties over the past two weeks and it was the Flames making the fast start with 28 points to 13 in the opening period.
The Townsville lead blew out to 20 points in the second term as well and the home team went into half-time in control leading 54-35.
That lead grew to as much as 22 points in the second half for the Flames before they ended up claiming the 15-point victory to improve to 9-2 on the season.
Alex Fowler was outstanding once more for Townsville with 25 points, seven rebounds and three steals on 10/20 shooting from the field and 4/4 at the foul line.
Saffron Shiels added 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds, Indiah Bowyer 19 points, three assists, two steals and two boards, Ella Tofaeono 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists, and Kate Gaze 11 points and three assists on 3/5 three-point shooting.
Rockhampton slips to 7-2 with the defeat with Sam Bowman producing another 26 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals on 12/19 shooting from the field.
Lauren Heard also had 21 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals with Lara McSpadden contributing 11 points, eight boards, three steals and two blocks, and Morgan Yaeger eight points and four assists.
Rockhampton backs up now on Sunday afternoon taking on the Cairns Dolphins again on the road in Far North Queensland with Townsville back at home on Friday to the Gold Coast Rollers.
TOWNSVILLE FLAMES 89 (Fowler 25, Shiels 20, Bowyer 19)
ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 74 (Bowman 26, Heard 21, McSpadden 11)
MEN
Brisbane Capitals (103) defeated Southern Districts Spartans (90)
It was a match up featuring two in-form teams and plenty of Brisbane Bullets NBL teammates with Sam McDaniel and Gabe Hadley leading the Brisbane Capitals to the 103-90 win over the Southern Districts Spartans.
The stage was all set for a tantalising match up at Auchenflower Stadium with the Caps at home on a five-game winning run while the Spartans arrived also having won the last four.
Then with the Capitals featuring McDaniel and Hadley who were Bullets teammates in the NBL this past season with Spartans opponents Mitch Norton and Tyrell Harrison, and there was a lot to look forward to.
Brisbane managed to open up a 21-15 lead by quarter-time before the Caps blew the game open in the second frame with 29 points to 18 to lead by as much as 17 points.
The Capitals were on top 50-33 by the half-time break as a result and then were able to hold a double-figure advantage throughout the second half.
The lead was out to as much as 19 points in the final period before Brisbane secured the 13-point win to improve to a 7-4 record on the season with six consecutive victories.
Brisbane Bullets star Sam McDaniel came up big once more for the Capitals with 22 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals while hitting all four of his three-point attempts.
Gabe Hadley added 20 points and four assists with Cameron Thew contributing 16 points, four rebounds and three steals, Geordan Papacostas 14 points and five boards, Isaih Tueta 11 points, four assists and three rebounds, and Matthew Johns 10 points, five boards and three assists.
The four-game winning run of Southern Districts came to an end with the Spartans now 5-5 on the season as a result despite 25 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals on 10/16 shooting from Tyrell Harrison.
Mitch Norton produced another 17 points, three assists and three steals for the Spartans with Corey Shervill contributing 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks, Max Kerle 12 points and three boards, and Mason Honeyman 11 points.
The Capitals are back in action next Sunday at home to the Darwin Salties with the Spartans to host that same Darwin team on Saturday.
BRISBANE CAPITALS 103 (McDaniel 22, Hadley 20, Thew 16)
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 90 (Harrison 25, Norton 17, Shervill 14)
North Gold Coast Seahawks (87) defeated Gold Coast Rollers (86)
It couldn’t have been a more dramatic battle of the Gold Coast with the North Gold Coast Seahawks ending up prevailing 87-86 over the Gold Coast Rollers with clutch free throws from Cameron Healy before Elijah Kamu missed two for the visitors.
Both teams came into the contest at Runaway Bay Stadium needing a win too to stay in touch of a top six position heightening the stakes of a match up that went right down to the final buzzer.
It was just a one-point lead for Gold Coast at quarter-time before North Gold Coast were up 46-43 at the main break, but it was a game destined to go down to the wire.
It was a final two minutes full of drama with the Seahawks leading by eight points and appearing to have the game in control in what always shaped as a season-defining match up.
Gold Coast cut the deficit to six with two free throws from Preston Le Gassick and then there was a heavy mid-air collision between Jason Cadee and Cameron Healy. Both players were contesting the ball in mid-air on the pass from Matt Kenyon intended for Healy, but it was Cadee who landed heavily.
He was able to continue shortly after as play resumed and the drama was only beginning with Elijah Kamu scoring down low to bring the Rollers within four, and then two when Le Gassick got his own offensive board for the tough finish.
Gold Coast then trapped Healy and forced the turnover with 38 seconds to play and Le Gassick was subsequently fouled, made both and scores all of a sudden were level.
The Rollers then forced the Seahawks into a tough contested three from Khobie De Haan that wouldn’t fall before Le Gassick grabbed the defensive rebound and was fouled. He again made both with 12 seconds to play to put Gold Coast up two having scored the last 10 straight points.
There was still time for the Seahawks and Healy was fouled taking a three-point attempt and he made all three to give North Gold Coast the lead back, and ultimately the win when Elijah Kamu missed both his free-throw attempts up the other end.
It was quite the dramatic way for the Seahawks to secure the win to improve to 5-6 on the season with Nathaniel Salmon delivering 29 points and nine rebounds on 13/22 shooting from the floor.
Cameron Healy also had 19 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks with Matt Kenyon adding 18 points, 18 rebounds and four assists.
After scoring 10 straight points to regain the lead, it was a heartbreaking way for Gold Coast to lose and now slip to 4-6 on the season on the back of playing in the last two Grand Finals.
Preston Le Gassick delivered 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Rollers with Jason Cadee contributing 24 points, eight boards, seven assists and three steals, Boston Mazlin 11 points and four assists, and Elijah Kamu 10 points, nine rebounds and two assists.
The Seahawks are back at home on Friday night against the Southern Districts Spartans with the Rollers heading north to play the Townsville Heat on Friday as well.
NORTH GOLD COAST SEAHAWKS 87 (Salmon 29, Healy 19, Kenyon 18)
GOLD COAST ROLLERS 86 (Le Gassick 28, Cadee 24, Mazlin 11)
Northside Wizards (80) lost to Darwin Salties (87)
The Darwin Salties fired back from a 17-point second half deficit to beat the Northside Wizards 87-80 to score a fourth consecutive victory.
The Salties were playing their second game on the road of the weekend after beating the Sunshine Coast Phoenix on Friday ahead of taking on the Wizards at Northside Indoor Sports Centre.
Northside came into the game trying to back up last week's win over the Townsville Heat and it was the home team with the better of the start.
The Wizards opened up an eight-point lead in the first quarter with that growing to 10 points in the second frame before they went into the half-time break leading 46-36.
The lead for Northside got out to a game-high 17 points then in the third quarter as well before Darwin was able to turn the tide the rest of the way.
The Salties had turned that 17-point deficit into their own eight-point lead by the final quarter before holding out the Wizards for the seven-point victory.
The win improves Darwin to a 9-2 record on the season with four wins in-a-row with Kouat Noi once again standing tall and producing 20 points, 13 rebounds and two assists.
Makuach Maluach also had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Chier Maker 15 points and 12 boards, Sean Macdonald 14 points and six assists, Verle Williams 10 points, four assists and three steals, and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk 10 points and five rebounds.
The Wizards are now 3-9 on the season with Lual Diing delivering 25 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and two steals while knocking down 5/6 from three-point range.
Jamie Ahale also had 16 points and two steals, Jackson Makoi 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and Nikau McCullough eight points, three boards and two assists.
The Wizards are back home again next Saturday against the North Gold Coast Seahawks with Darwin on the road for a double again next week to the Spartans on Saturday and Capitals on Sunday.
NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 80 (Diing 25, Ahale 16, Makoi 14)
DARWIN SALTIES 87 (Noi 20, Maluach 18, Maker 15)
South West Metro Pirates (89) lost to Mackay Meteors (103)
Despite being in the middle of a triple-header on the road, the Mackay Meteors kept on winning thanks to 36 points from Isaac White in the 103-89 win over the South West Metro Pirates.
Mackay maintained its hold on top spot in the NBL1 North with a Friday night 21-point win over the Ipswich Force to start three games on the road this weekend ahead of arriving at Hibiscus Sports Stadium to play the Pirates on Saturday.
South West Metro came into the clash having won its past two games as well despite still missing the injured Lamar Patterson, but the Meteors managed to lead by two points at quarter-time and then by nine at half-time.
Mackay then put up 24 points to 16 in the third period to end up leading by as much 17 points with that lead growing to 22 in the fourth frame before the Meteors secured the eventual 14-point victory.
The win sees Mackay retain top spot with a 9-1 record with last year's NBL1 leading scorer Isaac White having a huge night with 36 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals on 13/23 shooting from the floor, 4/5 from downtown and 6/6 at the foul line.
Todd Blanchfield used all his 402 games of NBL experience for 21 points and 10 rebounds with 5/8 three-point shooting as well with Jerron Jamerson contributing 19 points and four rebounds, and Luca Yates 10 points and five boards while Emmett Naar had 10 assists.
South West Metro is now 4-6 on the season following the loss with Jeremy McLaughlin putting up 23 points and 12 rebounds on 11/16 shooting from the field.
Kai Woodfall also had 21 points, five rebounds and five assists, Brendan Teys 16 points, six assists and three boards, and Roman Siulepa 11 points and two steals fresh off joining the Tasmania JackJumpers as an NBL Next Star for NBL25.
Mackay will now complete the road triple-header on Sunday against the Logan Thunder while the Pirates play host to Logan Thunder on Saturday night.
SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 89 (McLaughlin 23, Woodfall 21, Teys 16)
MACKAY METEORS 103 (White 36, Blanchfield 21, Jamerson 19)
Townsville Heat (88) lost to Rockhampton Rockets (97)
On the back of 27 points, 15 rebounds and five assists from Matur Maker, the Rockhampton Rockets started their back-to-back road double with a 97-88 win over the Townsville Heat.
The Heat came into the contest at home at StarFM Stadium attempting to get off the bottom of the table and snap a six-game losing slide with Rockhampton arriving also trying to hit back from a loss to the Darwin Salties.
Rockhampton shot out of the blocks in stunning fashion scoring 15 consecutive points in the opening quarter to open up a 22-point lead, and being up still 32-12 by the end of one.
Townsville did well to storm back into the contest and went on an 11-0 scoring run of their own on the way to 27 points to 16 in the second quarter to cut the Rockhampton lead to 48-39 at the main break.
The Flames continued on with that momentum into the third quarter and even grabbed the lead. That would only last 30 seconds, though, before the Rockets got back on top and ended up closing out the deal for the nine-point victory.
Rockhampton improves to a 5-4 record on the season with the win to be clinging to a top six position with Matur Maker leading the charge with 27 points, 15 rebounds and five assists with 4/4 three-point shooting.
Nighael Ceaser added 24 points, nine boards, three assists and two steals with Xavier Ford contributing 19 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists, and Ben Tweedy 14 points, eight assists and five boards.
Townsville remains last at 2-9 with seven straight losses but still showed encouraging signs with Kyle Leslie top-scoring with 20 points, six rebounds and two steals with 4/11 shooting from beyond the arc.
Ethan Betts also had 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals, Michael Cedar 14 points, five boards and two assists, and Richard Peachey 10 points, three assists and two rebounds.
Rockhampton backs up now on Sunday afternoon taking on the Cairns Marlins again on the road in Far North Queensland with Townsville back at home on Friday to the Gold Coast Rollers.
TOWNSVILLE HEAT 88 (Leslie 20, Betts 14, Cedar 14)
ROCKHAMPTON ROCKETS 97 (Maker 27, Ceaser 24, Ford 19)
