NBL1 North Conference Finals Preview

The NBL1 North conference finals tip off this weekend! 

The first round of the NBL1 North conference finals are elimination games - lose and you are out!

See the match-ups for the women’s and men’s divisions below: 

Women’s

Saturday: Southern District Spartans v USC Rip City at 6:00pm AEST on Kayo Freebies

The 17-2 Spartans will host USC Rip City on Saturday night as American star import Ashley Arlen will have to carry Rip City past the stacked Spartans, featuring Lil Dart, Nadeen Payne, Kalani Purcell and Leah Scott. 

Saturday: Brisbane Capitals v Northside Wizards at 6:00pm AEST on NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App 

The Capitals beat the Wizards in Round 15 off the back of an amazing performance from Abby Cubillo. Can Cubillo and the Capitals handle a locked-in Tiana Mangakahia and Shyla Heal? Find out Saturday! 

Saturday: Townsville Flames v Mackay Meteorettes at 7:00pm AEST on NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App 

The Townsville Flames brought in Opal Alanna Smith mid-season to join WNBL stars in Steph Reid and Courtney Woods, coached under Shannon Seebohm. It will take a colossal effort from Shaneice Swain and Mackay to get it done. 

Saturday: Logan Thunder v Cairns Dolphins at 7:00pm AEST on NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App 

Possibly the best match-up of the first round as Mikela Ruef and her 19-0 Logan Thunder will face off against Cayla George’s Cairns Dolphins. The battle of the bigs will be something special to watch! 

Men’s 

Friday: Gold Coast Rollers v Logan Thunder at 7:30pm AEST on Kayo Freebies 

We will have to get the popcorn ready for this one as the Gold Coast Rollers with Jason Cadee, Tanner Krebs and Lamar Patterson will take on Jeremy Kendle’s Logan Thunder. 

Saturday: Cairns Marlins v Ipswich Force at 7:00pm AEST on NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App 

In some excellent North action, Ben Ayre’s Cairns Marlins will take on Majok Deng’s Ipswich Force. Deng is coming off a 44 point and 14 rebound performance in Round 15 and will be a force to be reckoned with. 

Saturday: Mackay Meteors v Northside Wizards at 7:30pm AEST on NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App 

The biggest NBLxNBL1 crossover sees the Galloway brothers and Biwali Bayles take on a full NBL starting line-up with Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic, Lual Diing,  Kevin White and Keanu Pinder. It begs the question, what matters more, continuity or talent?

Saturday: USC Rip City v Darwin Salties at 7:30pm AEST on NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App 

At the start of the season, no one could match the energy coming from Darwin. But Rip City has been on a run in the second half of the season, so can Kouat Noi and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk pull off a major win over the dominant Salties? 

All these teams have the ultimate goal to make the Coles Express NBL1 National Final. For more information and tickets click here.