North Recap | Round 5 Friday

Image credit: @highflyer_images

There were Friday night NBL1 North wins for last year's women's grand finalists before Tyler Williams starred in a win for the Northside Wizards, and Jalen Graham did the same for Rockhampton Rockets.

WOMEN

Northside Wizards (95) defeated Ipswich Force (85)

The Northside Wizards snapped a three-game losing slide with the 95-85 win at home over the Ipswich Force on the back of 28 points and six three-pointers from Cierra Walker.

The Wizards were back home at Northside Indoor Sports Centre having lost their past three matches ahead of hosting a Force line-up also coming off a loss to the Townsville Flames.

The Wizards opened up an 11-point lead during the first quarter on the way to leading still 30-22 by the end of one on the back of shooting 6/7 from downtown even though Ipswich were shooting well with 4/8 themselves.

It was then another 18 points to 15 in the second period for the Wizards to see them leading 48-37 by half-time but Ipswich fired back in the third term by putting on a run of scoring 13 straight points.

That saw the Force grab the lead but the Wizards did manage to return to the lead before three quarter-time to be on top 65-61.

Northside then went on with the job in the fourth period with another 30 points to 24 on the way to a 13-point lead before securing the 10-point victory to improve to a 3-3 record and snapping a three-game losing run.

Cierra Walker delivered 28 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in the win for Northside on the back of knocking down 6/7 from three-point territory.

Saskia Gunness added 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists, Erin Harvey 16 points, five assists and two boards, and Sarah Wacher 12 points on 3/3 three-point shooting.

Ipswich are now 2-3 on the season ahead of also being away to Logan Thunder on Saturday night with Kahlaijah Dean delivering 34 points, nine assists and three rebounds.

Hannah Young added 21 points, nine rebounds, four steals and two assists, Anna Bassett 11 points and seven boards, and Olivia West 10 points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists.

NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 95 (Walker 28, Harvey 16, O'Driscoll 15)

IPSWICH FORCE 85 (Dean 34, Young 21, Bassett 11)

Rockhampton Cyclones (74) defeated Cairns Dolphins (71)

The Rockhampton Cyclones withstood a fast finishing Cairns Dolphins to score the game's last four points to secure the 74-71 home win over the Cairns Dolphins.

Rockhampton were back home at Bravus Arena with the reigning champions looking to back up their first win of the season last week over the Gold Coast Rollers while the Dolphins arrived to start their road double trying to avoid a third straight defeat.

It was Cairns who got the better of the start to be leading 19-15 by the end of the first quarter before Rockhampton worked on top in the second term with 23 points to 16 on the way to taking a 38-35 advantage into the half-time break.

That lead did get out to eight points in the third quarter as well for Rockhampton but Cairns were able to fire back and even ended up leading by a point heading into the final term.

Rockhampton were able to turn the momentum back their way by scoring 11 straight points, but even then Cairns fired back with a three-point from Teyla Evans with just over two minutes to go bringing them back within one.

Teyahna Bond then scored to put the Dolphins up by a point, but the only other four points scored in the game went the way of Rockhampton including three free throws from Kiwi Mary Goulding to seal the three-point win.

The defending NBL1 North champions now improve to a 2-2 record with back-to-back wins with Chelsey Perry finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Kiara Phillips added 16 points, three rebounds and three assists, Mary Goulding 14 points, eight boards and six assists, and Moira Joiner 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists on 3/5 three-point shooting.

Cairns are now 2-3 on the season having won three straight ahead of a clash with the Mackay Meteorettes on Saturday night with Mia Loyd doing all she could to deliver them a win with 22 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Teyla Evans also had 10 points and six rebounds, Aimee Brett 10 points, four boards and two assists, Teyahna Bond 10 points and four assists, and Cayla George nine points, 11 rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists.

ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 74 (Perry 19, Phillips 16, Joiner 14, Goulding 14)

CAIRNS DOLPHINS 71 (Loyd 22, Evans 10, Brett 10, Teyahna Bond 10)

MEN

Northside Wizards (97) defeated Ipswich Force (83)

Tyler Williams continued his standout start to the NBL1 North season and led the Northside Wizards to the 97-83 home win over Lamar Patterson, DJ Mitchell and the Ipswich Force.

Having just signed on with the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the NBL, Mitchell returned to the NBL1 North teaming up with another former Brisbane Bullet Patterson to take on the Wizards at Northside Indoor Sports Centre.

The Wizards were back on their home floor trying to bounce back from a last up loss to the Sunshine Coast Phoenix and it was the home team leading 22-17 by the end of the opening quarter.

Ipswich turned on a spectacular second period made up of 32 points to 16 with 11/18 shooting from the field and 7/12 at the foul line opposed to the 6/19 from the floor and 1/4 at the free-throw line from the Wizards.

As a result the Force had all the momentum and were leading 49-38 at half-time but the momentum swung in the third period the way of the Wizards as they knocked down 5/9 of their three-point attempts.

Northside ended up outscoring Ipswich 26 points to 16 for the period to cut that lead of the Force to just one, and then the Wizards dominated the final 10 minutes with 33 points to 18.

That saw Northside secure the 14-point victory to improve to a 3-3 record on the back of making 13/33 from three to the 5/26 from Ipswich along with the 24/33 at the foul line to 16/25.

Tyler Williams is having a scorching start to the season with the Wizards and continued that with another 32 points, six rebounds and four steals while knocking down 8/15 from three-point range.

Josh Kunen added 18 points, eight rebounds, four steals and two assists, Durrell McDonald 19 points, eight assists, four steals and three boards, Nikau McCullough 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Jed Richardson 10 points and 13 boards.

Ipswich are now 3-2 on the season following the loss ahead of playing away to Logan Thunder on Saturday night with Lamar Patterson putting up 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists following his stunning game winner last week against the Townsville Heat.

DJ Mitchell was playing his first game of the season and since signing to return to the NBL at the Phoenix and had 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks despite shooting just 2/9 from downtown.

Will Mahoney also had 12 points, four assists and three rebounds, Merrick Small 11 points and eight boards, and Kane Bishop 10 points and two boards.

NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 97 (Williams 32, McDonald 19, Kunen 18)

IPSWICH FORCE 83 (Patterson 20, Mitchell 17, Mahoney 12)

Rockhampton Rockets (109) defeated Cairns Marlins (81)

Jalen Graham poured in 32 points and pulled down 14 rebounds as the Rockhampton Rockets dominated the Cairns Marlins at home for the 109-81 victory.

The Rockets scored their first win of the season last week against the Gold Coast Rollers ahead of remaining home at Bravus Arena on Friday night to open Round 5 by hosting a Cairns team coming off a last up loss by 36 points to the Brisbane Capitals.

It was a flying start from Rockhampton on their home floor with 31 points to 23 in the first quarter before they maintained that lead to go into the half-time break on top 51-44.

The Rockets then blew the game out in the third quarter completing a 16-0 scoring run and opening up a 24-point advantage before that lead then became 36 in the final term.

Rockhampton went on to complete the job with the 28-point victory to improve to a 2-2 record on the season on the back of shooting 50 per cent from the field to 38 from Cairns.

Jalen Graham produced 32 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks and two assists in the win for the Rockets on 14/19 shooting from the floor with Malcolm Bernard adding 17 points, five assists, four boards and three steals.

Harrison Hornery added 11 points and six rebounds, Malok Majak 11 points, nine boards and four assists, and Jaren Blanchard 10 points, five rebounds and two assists.

The Marlins are now 2-3 on the season ahead of taking on the defending champion Mackay Meteors on Saturday night with Kody Stattmann finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds.

Ky Stattmann added 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Alex Higgins-Titsha 10 points, five boards and four assists, and James Mitchell eight points and four rebounds.

ROCKHAMPTON ROCKETS 109 (Graham 32, Bernard 17, Majak 11, Hornery 11)

CAIRNS MARLINS 81 (Kody Stattmann 22, Ky Stattmann 15, Higgins-Titsha 10)