Featured images: Gordon Greaves (Cairns Basketball)
Cate Reese starred for Logan Thunder, Sam Bowman and Lauren Heard for Rockhampton Cyclones, Kody and Ky Stattmann for Cairns Marlins, and Isaac White for Mackay Meteors in Sunday NBL1 North victories.
The two Sunday women's NBL1 North matches saw Logan Thunder defeat the Mackay Meteorettes 81-71 and the Rockhampton Cyclones beat the Cairns Dolphins 96-86.
Then in the men's action, Mackay beat Logan 88-82 and Cairns prevailed 90-82 against Rockhampton.
RECAP NBL1 NORTH | ROUND 9 SATURDAY
RECAP NBL1 NORTH | ROUND 9 FRIDAY
WOMEN
Logan Thunder (81) defeated Mackay Meteorettes (71)
The Mackay Meteorettes understandably were running on empty for their third game in three days this weekend with Logan Thunder able to bounce back themselves for the 81-71 victory.
The Meteorettes were playing a third game on the road this weekend having beaten Ipswich on Friday with 49 points and 19 rebounds from Taylor Mole before a loss on Saturday to the South West Metro Pirates.
They had to back up again on Sunday at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre with Logan coming off Friday night's loss to the Gold Coast Rollers setting up a fascinating match up.
After the Meteorettes dug deep to start the game well to lead by five points early on, Logan worked on top with a 9-0 run to lead 23-17 by quarter-time.
Mackay might have been rightfully tired, but were still fighting hard and outscored the Thunder 17 points to 10 in the second term to go into half-time with a 34-33 lead.
The Thunder turned things back around with a dominant third quarter with 29 points to 14 which saw the home team end up leading by as much as 16 points in the fourth term, and to win by 10 in the finish.
The victory improves the Thunder to 5-6 on the season to remain in contention of a top six spot with Cate Reese delivering another 25 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks on 12/21 shooting from the floor.
Mikhaela Cann added 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for Logan, Prasayus Notoa 14 points, eight boards and four assists, Jade Kirisome 10 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Sharni Reisinger eight points and three rebounds.
Mackay returns home with one win from the three road games this weekend to be 4-7 as a result with Chelsea Brook putting up 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Taylor Mole also had 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists despite shooting 3/16 from the floor but she did go 8/8 from the foul line with Sam Haiby adding 14 points and six assists, and Nikita Van Wyk 10 points and four rebounds.
Logan is away next Saturday to the South West Metro Pirates while Mackay are back at home after the triple-header on the road to host the Sunshine Coast Phoenix also on Saturday.
LOGAN THUNDER 81 (Reese 25, Cann 17, Notoa 14)
MACKAY METEORETTES 71 (Brook 19, Haiby 14, Mole 16)
Cairns Dolphins (86) lost to Rockhampton Cyclones (96)
The Cairns Dolphins with 32 points from Mia Loyd threw everything at a first win of the NBL1 North season but Sam Bowman, Lauren Heard and Lara McSpadden combined to lead the Rockhampton Cyclones to the 96-86 win.
The Cyclones were playing back-to-back games on the road after losing to the Townsville Flames the previous night while the Dolphins were looking for a first win of 2024 after the 10 consecutive losses.
The Dolphins were on their home floor at Trinity Ford Stadium and managed to fight back from a nine-point deficit in the first quarter to cut the Rockhampton lead to 30-27 by quarter-time.
The Cyclones again opened up an eight-point lead in the second term but still Cairns were staying in touch with Rockhampton only leading 49-44 by half-time.
Cairns even managed to get back in front briefly in the third quarter and the upset was on the cards, but Rockhampton did well to respond by scoring 12 straight points to push that lead back out to 16 points.
The lead for the Cyclones grew to 23 points in the final term too and the visitors would go on to score the 10-point victory to improve to a 7-3 record on the season having bounced back from that loss to Townsville.
The three big guns all delivered in the win for Rockhampton with Sam Bowman top-scoring with 26 points, 12 rebounds and four steals on 11/19 from the field.
Lauren Heard was strong as well with 23 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists with Lara McSpadden contributing 16 points, 11 boards and six assists with Morgan Yaeger adding 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals, and Elizajane Loader 11 points and five assists.
Cairns is now 0-11 on the season despite the more competitive signs with Mia Loyd producing 32 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and three assists on 11/20 from the field and 9/10 from the foul line.
Andrianna Francis added 21 points, five rebounds and two assists, Leichan Williams 12 points, six boards and three steals, and Samantha Keltos 10 points and four rebounds.
Cairns remains at home next Saturday to the Gold Coast Rollers while Rockhampton will be hosting the Sunshine Coast Phoenix next Sunday.
CAIRNS DOLPHINS 86 (Loyd 32, Francis 21, Williams 12)
ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 96 (Bowman 26, Heard 23, McSpadden 16)
MEN
Logan Thunder (82) lost to Mackay Meteors (88)
The Mackay Meteors had managed to keep its perfect road record alive the last two nights and completed the job on Sunday with the 89-82 victory over the Logan Thunder.
The Meteors had already scored wins on the road this weekend on Friday against the Ipswich Force and then Saturday over the South West Metro Pirates.
However, backing up on Sunday was always going to be a challenge when Mackay arrived at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre to take on a Logan team who beat the Gold Coast Rollers by 13 points back on Friday night.
The Thunder then got the better of the opening period to be leading 23-17 by quarter-time and were still clinging to the 38-37 lead by half-time.
Despite a tough shooting night from 402-game NBL veteran Todd Blanchfield, Mackay worked on top in the third frame with 27 points to 19 which saw the league-leaders open up a nine-point advantage through the fourth term.
Mackay held out for the six-point win from there to remain perfect this season away from home and to remain in top spot with a 10-1 record overall.
Isaac White had 36 points the previous night in the win over the Pirates and backed up with another 27 points, seven rebounds and two steals for Mackay on 12/14 shooting from the free-throw line.
Jerron Jamerson also delivered 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Meteors, Emmanuel Malou 11 points and two boards, Aiden Krause 10 points and five rebounds, and Todd Blanchfield four points, nine boards, four assists and two steals despite shooting just 1/11 from the floor and 0/8 from deep.
Logan is now 8-3 on the season following the defeat with Callum Dalton producing another standout performance made up of 29 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots on 13/22 shooting from the floor.
Shaun Bruce also put up 19 points, 11 assists and four rebounds, Zac Triplett 12 points, seven boards and two assists, and Tom Howard 10 points and eight rebounds.
Logan is away next Saturday to the South West Metro Pirates while Mackay are back at home after the triple-header on the road to host the Sunshine Coast Phoenix also on Saturday.
LOGAN THUNDER 82 (Dalton 29, Bruce 19, Triplett 12)
MACKAY METEORS 88 (White 27, Jamerson 17, Malou 11)
Cairns Marlins (90) defeated Rockhampton Rockets (82)
Kody and Ky Stattmann combined for 59 points, 21 rebounds and six three-pointers as the Cairns Marlins kept their NBL1 North playoff hopes alive with the 90-82 victory at home to the Rockhampton Rockets.
The Marlins were making their lone appearance of the weekend and were back home at Trinity Ford Stadium looking to hit back from losing their previous three matches.
Cairns was hosting a Rockhampton team fresh off beating the Townsville Heat the previous night to start their road double as well to see them remain right in the race for a top six spot.
The fresh Marlins made a fast start to open up a 10-point lead in the first quarter and then go into the quarter-time break leading 26-18.
Cairns were able to remain on top the rest of the evening as well with that lead getting out to as much as 17 points in the second term before the home team went into the sheds at half-time with a 48-37 advantage.
The Marlins then came out scoring 11 straight points to see their lead get out to 28 points in the third quarter and then despite a 26 points to 12 final quarter from Rockhampton that included a 13-0 run, Cairns held firm for the eventual eight-point victory.
The win improves the Marlins to a 5-6 record on the season with the Stattmann brothers producing standout performances to lead their team to the victory.
Kody finished with 35 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and two assists which included 14/16 free-throw shooting while Ky had 24 points and five rebounds.
Alex Mudronja also had 11 points, nine assists and four rebounds for Cairns, Kian Dennis 10 points and seven boards, and Josh Kunen eight points, seven boards and two assists.
Rockhampton is now 5-5 on the season having split its two games on the road this weekend with Nighael Ceaser producing another 23 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks on 8/14 shooting from the field and 7/10 at the foul line.
Matur Maker put up another 13 points and 17 rebounds with Xavier Ford adding 14 points and three boards, and Hayden Richardson 12 points and three rebounds.
Cairns remains at home next Saturday to the Gold Coast Rollers while Rockhampton will be hosting the Sunshine Coast Phoenix next Sunday.
CAIRNS MARLINS 90 (Kody Stattmann 35, Ky Stattmann 24, Mudronja 11)
ROCKHAMPTON ROCKETS 82 (Ceaser 23, Ford 14, Maker 13)
