North Recap | Round 4 Saturday

Image credit: Judd Green

Mia Byrne and Lamar Patterson hit walk off NBL1 North game winners for Sunshine Coast Phoenix and Ipswich Force while Brisbane Capitals won in double overtime on 29 points and 20 rebounds from Ashley Arlen on Saturday night.

NORTH RECAP | ROUND 4 FRIDAY

WOMEN

Ipswich Force (61) lost to Townsville Flames (72)

Sam Bowman delivered another dominant performance for the Townsville Flames with 23 points and 18 rebounds to lead her team to the 72-61 win over the Ipswich Force.

Townsville had started their road double the previous night with a 19-point loss at the hands of Logan Thunder ahead of backing up on Saturday at Ipswich Basketball Stadium with the Force having won two of their three games so far in 2025.

Ipswich had the better of the start on their home floor to be leading 21-17 by quarter-time and with the two teams only combining for 27 points in the second term, the Force were still leading 34-31 going into half-time.

The game was still up for grabs by three quarter-time with Townsville having assumed the 50-48 lead, but then the Flames produced 22 points to 13 in the last term while closing the deal with 6/7 free throws in the final period.

The victory improves Townsville to a 3-3 record on the season after splitting their road double this weekend with Sam Bowman the major difference between the two teams finishing with 23 points, 18 rebounds and three assists on 9/15 shooting to go with 5/7 at the free-throw line.

Shaylee Browning also had 19 points, three rebounds and three assists, Challee Ward 13 points, eight boards and five assists, and Tayla Dalton 12 points, three assists and two rebounds.

Ipswich are now 2-2 to start the season as well with Kahlaijah Dean finishing with 28 points, four rebounds and two steals on 11/21 from the floor and 3/4 at the foul line.

Kate Head added 10 points and three rebounds for the Force, Elissa Brett 10 points and eight boards, and Olivia West four points, five assists and two rebounds.

IPSWICH FORCE 61 (Dean 28, Head 10, Brett 10)

TOWNSVILLE FLAMES 72 (Bowman 23, Browning 19, Ward 13)

South West Metro Pirates (75) lost to Brisbane Capitals (78)

Ashley Arlen delivered 29 points and 20 rebounds in the absence of Miela Sowah and the Brisbane Capitals scored seven straight late points to go from two down to five up to beat the South West Metro Pirates 78-75 in double overtime.

The Pirates were on their home floor at Hibiscus Sports Stadium still hunting a first win of the 2025 season as they played host to a Capitals team fresh off a first win but that was with Sowah in the line-up.

She was away this weekend once again with the Australian Gangurrus 3x3 team but Brisbane still dominated the first quarter with 18 points to five on the back of shooting 6/17 from the floor opposed to South West's 2/15.

The Pirates were able to turn things around in the second term with 19 points to 11 and that cut the Ipswich advantage to 29-24 at half-time.

Scores were then all level heading into the fourth quarter and in the end it was two made free throws from Arlen for Ipswich that tied scores up with not long to go before Steph Bairstow missed her two at the line for South West leaving scores 61-61.

That set up the first overtime period which saw the Caps open up an early four-point lead but Ipswich soon hit back and this time it was a neat hook shot out of a timeout from Arlen that went down to level scores once more and force a second overtime.

In those final five minutes, Grace Ellis landed the biggest blow with a jumper with 20 seconds to go to put the Capitals up by four, and from there the visitors secured the three-point win that took 50 minutes to lock away.

The win improves Brisbane to a 2-3 record on the season with Ashley Arlen producing a massive performance made up of 29 points, 20 rebounds and two assists on 9/16 shooting from the floor and 9/10 at the free-throw line.

Jessica Relf added 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Alleah Hanson 12 points, five boards and three steals, Audrey Fuller seven points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Grace Ellis 12 points, five boards and three steals.

The Pirates remain winless after four games this season after the heartbreaking double overtime defeat with Steph Bairstow finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds and three steals.

Beyonce Bea added 18 points, 12 rebound and two assists, Grace Champion 15 points and three steals, and Brooke Malone eight points, six rebounds and three assists.

SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 75 (Bairstow 19, Bea 18, Champion 15)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 78 (Arlen 29, Relf 14, Hanson 12)

Rockhampton Cyclones (87) defeated Gold Coast Rollers (81)

The Gold Coast Rollers threw everything at a late comeback but the Rockhampton Cyclones held on for the 87-81 win as the defending champions opened their account for 2025.

It hasn’t been the start to the season defending their title that Rockhampton was after with the losses to the Mackay Meteorettes and Townsville Flames, but a lot of that has been down to personnel.

They welcomed in New Zealand international Mary Goulding for the first time on Saturday night after she played in 2024 at the East Perth Eagles of NBL1 West, but it was the Rollers leading 23-20 as they tried to bounce back from losing to Mackay the previous evening.

Rockhampton were then able to outscore Gold Coast 20 points to 16 in the second period and that saw the home team and defending champs hold the slenderest half-time advantage at 40-39.

The Cyclones were able to pull away further in the third quarter with an 11-0 scoring run to end up 12 points up, and then leading by 13 early in the fourth.

It would end up being a match-winning advantage but only just before Gold Coast went on their own charge scoring 10 consecutive points before late free throws from Chelsey Perry, Goulding and Perry again got Rockhampton the six-point win.

The Cyclones are now 1-2 on the season in their championship defence with Perry starring with 33 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals on 13/23 shooting from the field.

Moira Joiner added 21 points, 15 rebounds and six assists with Goulding contributing 12 points, 11 boards and seven assists, and Akaysha Muggeridge nine points, five rebounds and two assists.

Gold Coast return home with a pair of losses from their road trip to be 0-5 to start the season under the coaching of Australian basketball legend Mark Bradtke.

Katie Deeble delivered another 24 points and six assists on 4/9 three-point shooting for the Rollers with Nyah Morris contributing 17 points, four assists and three boards, Tara Manumaleuga 17 points, six rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocks, and Juna Umezawa 14 points and 10 rebounds.

ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 87 (Perry 33, Joiner 21, Goulding 12)

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 81 (Deeble 24, Manumaleuga 17, Morris 17)

Sunshine Coast Phoenix (91) defeated Northside Wizards (89)

Mia Byrne hit a spectacular walk off game winner for the Sunshine Coast Phoenix as they beat the Northside Wizards 91-89.

The Phoenix were back home at Caloundra Indoor Stadium looking for a first victory there for 2025 as they hosted a Wizards team having won their opening two matches of the season but then having lost their past two.

The Wizards were leading by four points at the end of the first quarter on the back of hitting four three-pointers while the Phoenix missed all six of their attempts from behind the arc.

Northside nailed another 5/8 from long range in the in the second quarter but Sunshine Coast ended up outscoring them 24 to 23 to cut the Wizards lead at half-time back to 47-44.

The Phoenix were then able to dominate the third frame with 11/19 shooting on the way to outscoring the Wizards 29 points to 18 to open up an eight-point lead.

Sunshine Coast were still leading by seven points after a Kayla Mathews three ball with five minutes to play, but the Wizards hit back with the next six points to be back within a point and to set up a thrilling finish.

When Cierra Walker hit a pair of free throws with only 18 seconds left, scores were level and Sunshine Coast had one more chance at the game winner.

It was a bit of a disjointed possession and Mia Byrne did dribble herself into a tricky position, but she was able to chuck up a shot just before the buzzer and it rattled and bounced around the rim before falling.

That gave the Phoenix the two-point win as time expired to improve them to 2-2 on the season with Shannon Ryan providing a huge performance made up of 31 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks on 14/22 shooting.

Erin Bollmann added 19 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals against her former team, Mia Byrne 15 points and four rebounds as well as the game winner, and Amy Browne 14 points, five boards and three assists.

The Wizards are now 2-3 to start the season having played in the past two grand finals with Courtney delivering 29 points, 11 rebounds and five assists on 9/18 shooting from the field, 4/9 from downtown and 7/8 from the foul line.

Saskia Guinness also had 20 points, seven rebounds and four steals, Cierra Walker 14 points, six assists and five boards, Alice O'Driscoll 12 points and five rebounds, and Courtney Virgo 11 points and three blocks.

SUNSHINE COAST PHOENIX 91 (Ryan 31, Bollmann 19, Byrne 15)

NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 89 (Woods 29, Gunness 20, Walker 14)

MEN

Ipswich Force (82) defeated Townsville Heat (80)

Lamar Patterson sure is fitting in nicely at the Ipswich Force with the former NBL star hitting the walk off game winning three ball on Saturday night for the 82-80 victory over the Townsville Heat.

Patterson has joined Ipswich this season to continue his NBL1 North career after previous stints at the Southern Districts Spartans, Gold Coast Rollers and South West Metro Pirates following his time in the NBL at the Brisbane Bullets and New Zealand Breakers.

He has come into the 2025 season in tremendous shape and appears a man on a mission with Ipswich playing host to Townsville on Saturday night at Ipswich Basketball Stadium.

The Heat were fresh off a thrilling two-point win on Friday to start their road trip against Logan Thunder, and both teams put on an exciting first quarter with Ipswich going into quarter-time leading 28-26.

The Force were then clinging to the 52-51 lead at half-time before Townsivlle dominated the third term with 22 points and holding Ipswich to just the six points on 2/18 shooting from the field.

The Heat would end up leading by as much as 17 points early in the fourth quarter but Ipswich fired back by scoring 13 points in-a-row and it set up the grandstand finish.

Townsville were back out to a five-point lead with 2:30 to play after a three ball to Richard Peachey, but they wouldn’t score the rest of the way.

Merrick Small scored on an offensive rebounds putback for the Force before Will Mahoney scored on the break after a steal, and then set it all up for Lamar Patterson at the finish.

After Kuany missed two free throws up one end for Townsville, Small grabbed the rebound after the second miss, got it off to Patterson who had time to take it up the other end, get a good look from three and knock it down as time expired.

The win improves Ipswich to a 3-1 record to start the season with Patterson finishing with 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists with 4/6 from three-point land.

Ngor Nai added 15 points and five rebounds for the Force, Will Mahoney 10 points and three boards, Merrick Small nine points and nine rebounds, and Kane Bishop eight points and seven boards.

Townsville head home having split their road double this weekend and to be 3-3 on the season with Grant Teichmann top-scoring with 21 points, five assists and three rebounds on 7/12 three-point shooting.

Kuany Kuany added 16 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks, Richard Peachey 13 points, four boards and three assists, and Ethan Betts four points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

IPSWICH FORCE 82 (Patterson 29, Nai 15, Mahoney 10)

TOWNSVILLE HEAT 80 (Teichmann 21, Kuany 16, Peachey 13)

South West Metro Pirates (85) lost to Brisbane Capitals (115)

The Brisbane Capitals poured in 66 points across the first and fourth quarters on the way to an emphatic 115-85 road victory against the South West Metro Pirates.

The Pirates were back home at Hibiscus Sports Stadium trying to bounce back from a loss last week to the Ipswich Force while the Caps arrived looking to make it four straight wins.

Brisbane then came out on fire in the first quarter away from home putting up 35 points on shooting 12/22 from the field to go with 8/10 at the foul line.

That already had the Caps leading 35-18 by quarter-time before they continued to build on that lead to go into half-time on top 60-38, and to still be up 84-65 by three quarter-time.

The Capitals then finished the game on fire with another 31 points to 20 on the way to the eventual 30-point victory to improve to a 4-1 record to start the season and retain top spot in the NBL1 North.

Reigning MVP Sam McDaniel delivered 22 points, six assists and five rebounds in the win for Brisbane with Isaih Tueta adding 20 points, three assists and two boards.

Uche Dibiamaka also had 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, Anthony Kopcikas 11 points and two assists, Cooper Rowlings nine points, and Cameron Thew eight points and seven rebounds.

South West Metro are now sitting on a 1-3 record after the opening four rounds of the season with Dragan Stajic finishing with 29 points, six assists and five rebounds on 11/17 shooting from the field and 5/6 from three-point territory.

Kai Woodfall added 20 points with Ben Volkman finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and the returning Jarred Bairstow seven points and four rebound back from the ankle surgery that ended his NBL season early at the Brisbane Bullets.

SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 85 (Stajic 29, Woodfall 20, Volkman 15)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 115 (McDaniel 22, Tueta 20, Dibiamaka 19)

Rockhampton Rockets (103) defeated Gold Coast Rollers (98)

Not even 37 points from Reuben Te Rangi was enough for the Gold Coast Rollers with the Rockhampton Rockets roaring home on their home floor for the 103-98 victory.

The Rockets were back home at Bravus Arena still hunting a first win of the season as they played host to a Gold Coast team fresh off a 19-point loss to start their road trip to the Mackay Meteors on Friday.

The Rockets started impressively knocking down 4/8 from downtown in the first quarter on the way to the 28-18 lead by the end of one.

Gold Coast were able to turn the tide in the second period with 358-game NBL veteran Te Rangi catching fire and the Rollers ended up putting up 37 points in the quarter on the back of shooting 14/23.

Despite that, Rockhampton still scored another 28 points to be leading narrowly 56-55 by half-time but Gold Coast did work on top in the third frame with another 24 points to 16.

The Rollers did maintain a slender lead throughout most of the last quarter but when Te Rangi knocked down a pair of free throws with just a minute to play to put them up 98-97, they wouldn’t score again.

Instead, Rockhampton scored the last six points of the contest starting with a layup to Malcolm Bernard before he also knocked down a pair of free throws, and then Isaac Ayoubi did the same to secure the five-point win for the Rockets.

The win improves Rockhampton to a 1-2 record to start the season on the back of 31 points to 19 in the fourth quarter with Jalen Graham finishing with 27 points, seven rebounds, three steals, two blocks and two assists.

Bernard added 23 points, four rebounds and two assists on 3/6 shooting from downtown, Ayoubi 18 points, nine assists and three boards, Harrison Hornery 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, Jared Blanchard 10 points, and Malok Majak pulled down 13 rebounds.

Gold Coast returns home with two road losses for the round to now sit on a 2-3 record for the season with Reuben Te Rangi finishing with 37 points, five rebounds and four assists on 12/17 shooting from the floor and 12/12 at the stripe.

Jensen Bradtke added 12 points, nine rebounds and two steals, Brodie McGregor 11 points and three boards, Boston Mazlin 11 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals, and Preston Le Gassick 10 points, four assists and two boards.

ROCKHAMPTON ROCKETS 103 (Graham 27, Bernard 23, Ayoubi 18)

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 98 (Te Rangi 37, Bradtke 12, Mazlin 11, McGregor 11)

Sunshine Coast Phoenix (93) defeated Northside Wizards (82)

The Sunshine Coast Phoenix continued their strong start to the NBL1 North season with Earnest Ross delivering 26 points on 4/6 three-point shooting in the 93-82 home win over the Northside Wizards.

The Phoenix returned home to Caloundra Indoor Stadium looking for a third win from four games so far this season with the Wizards also out to improve on their .500 record from the opening four matches of 2025.

It was a dazzling start from Sunshine Coast as they scored 11 straight points in the first quarter on the way to opening up a 17-point lead and still being on top 25-16 by quarter-time.

It was another 26 points to 21 from the Phoenix in the second frame which saw the home team go into the break on top 51-37.

Northside were able to fire back in the third term with 28 points to 16 on the back of hitting four threes and shooting 10/22 to cut the deficit to just one by three quarter-time.

The Wizards also drew back level early in the fourth quarter, but the Phoenix were able to respond and end up outscoring Northside 26 points to 17 in the last term on the way to the 11-point victory.

Sunshine Coast are now 3-1 on the season following the win with all three victories coming on their home floor with Earnest Ross delivering 26 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals on 11/17 shooting from the field and 4/6 from behind the arc.

Jamaal Robateau added 20 points, four rebounds and two assists, Darnell Robateau 14 points, 12 boards, eight assists and two steals, Erik Kafritsas 14 points and six rebounds, and Liam Switzer 10 points, five boards and two blocked shots.

Northside are now 2-3 to start the season after the opening four rounds with Tyler Williams producing another 21 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Durrell McDonald also had 16 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists, Nikau McCullough 15 points and four assists, Ben Adamson 12 points, two rebounds and two steals, and Jed Richardson nine points, 10 boards and two steals.

SUNSHINE COAST PHOENIX 93 (Ross 26, J Robateau 20, Kafritsas 14, D Robateau 14)

NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 82 (Williams 21, McDonald 16, McCullough 15)