NBL1 North Men’s Championship Series Game 1 Recap

Mackay Meteors claimed game 1 of the Coles Express NBL1 North Men’s Championship with an 81-78 victory over Cairns Marlins at Mackay Basketball Stadium on Friday night.

Meteors guard Jerron Jamerson scored a team-high 23 points including nine points in a tight final quarter that had two lead changes and two ties.

Down seven points with four minutes left on the clock, Jamerson kickstarted a 9-2 run that had the sides level 75-apiece after an Emmanuel Malou three-pointer at the 2.24 mark.

Malou, who was instrumental in Mackay’s quarter-final victory with his strong inside play, scored nine of his 15 points from beyond the arc against the Marlins. The Mackay centre also went to work on the defensive end with nine rebounds, one steal and one block.

The Meteors closed out the game with their next six points at the free throw line. The home side made 18 of 24 from the charity stripe including Jamerson (7 of 12), Christopher Cedar (4 of 4) and Viliami Foketi (5 of 6).

Foketi (18 points) and Cedar (16 points) made it four Mackay players in double figures.

Marlins guard Deba George scored a game-high 26 points, six rebounds and eight assists. The playmaker, who got hot with 17 second-half points, hit 6 of 15 from deep for the game with five from seven attempts coming after the main break.  

George (pictured) combined with Alex Loughton (25 points) for 51 points – 65% of the Marlins’ offence. Cairns guard Anthony Fisher chimed in with 10 points.

The Grand Final series returns to Mackay Basketball Stadium for a 7pm tip-off (Saturday, 11 September).