North Recap | Round 6 Sunday

Image credit: @jadeglasson.photography

Miela Sowah and Sam McDaniel produced standout Sunday NBL1 North performances in home wins for Brisbane Capitals against Rockhampton Cyclones and Rockets teams completing their triple-header weekend.

NORTH RECAP | ROUND 6 FRIDAY

NORTH RECAP | ROUND 6 SATURDAY

WOMEN

Brisbane Capitals (81) defeated Rockhampton Cyclones (50)

Understandably the Rockhampton Cyclones were out on their legs to complete their triple-header on the road this weekend with the Brisbane Capitals scoring the 81-50 win with Miela Sowah starring once more with 37 points.

The Capitals were fresh having not played since a seven-point loss to the Southern Districts Spartans last Saturday also at Auchenflower Stadium as they hosted a Cyclones team trying to dig deep for one big performance to wrap up their weekend.

Rockhampton started the road triple with the 81-69 on Friday night against the Northside Wizards in a grand final rematch but the going was tougher on Saturday with the 96-45 defeat at the hands of the Spartans.

The Cyclones were also without Moira Joiner who had a big say in the result back on Friday and she was again out for the Sunday match up as they tried to stay competitive with the Caps.

Rockhampton were able to limit the damage in the first quarter holding Brisbane to just 16 points on 6/19 shooting but they only managed 10 themselves while shooting 4/18.

The Caps were able to open up a 13-point lead during the second term and were still leading 34-23 after a low scoring first half from both outfits.

The Capitals were able to find some more offensive flow throughout the second half with 23 points to 16 in the third quarter, and 24 to 11 in the fourth on the way to leading by as much as 20 points in the third frame, and securing the eventual 31-point victory.

Brisbane ended up shooting 40 per cent from the field to just 25 from a Rockhampton team understandably who were feeling heavy in the legs. The Caps also forced the Cyclones into 22 turnovers for the game.

The wins sees the Capitals improve to a 3-4 record for the season with Miela Sowah producing another standout performance ending up with 37 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals on 14/30 field goal shooting, 4/11 from downtown and 5/5 at the foul line.

Ashley Arlen also had 19 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocked shots, Grace Ellis eight points, 10 boards and three steals, and Jessica Relf seven points, four rebounds and two assists.

The Cyclones return home with one win from the three road games this weekend to now sit at 3-4 in their championship defence with Chelsey Perry ending up with 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Akaysha Muggeridge also had 14 points and six rebounds, Mary Goulding seven points, 13 boards, three assists and two steals, Bella Janes seven points and four rebounds, and Kiara Phillips six points, six assists and three boards.

BRISBANE CAPITALS 81 (Sowah 37, Arlen 19, Ellis 8)

ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 50 (Muggeridge 14, Perry 14, Goulding 7, Janes 7)

MEN

Brisbane Capitals (99) defeated Rockhampton Rockets (90)

The Rockhampton Rockets fought valiantly to close their road triple but ultimately the freshness of the Brisbane Capitals and the quality of reigning MVP Sam McDaniel saw them prevail 99-90.

Just in case the task wasn’t already big enough for Rockhampton to take on the league-leading Capitals who were on a five-game winning streak and on their home floor at Auchenflower Stadium, but they were doing it having played each of the previous two evenings.

The Rockets started their road triple-header going down to the Northside Wizards on Friday night before putting up 117 points on Saturday to beat the Southern Districts Spartans by 21 in an impressive performance.

However, it was a great mismatch purely on a fixture basis on Sunday not only with Rockhampton having played twice already in Round 6, but with the Capitals fresh as can not having played since beating the Spartans as well last Saturday also on their home floor.

It was an impressive shooting start from both teams with Brisbane going 3/5 from downtown and the Rockets 4/8 from beyond the arc with the visitors shaking off their fatigue to lead 27-25 by quarter-time.

That lead got out to seven points in the second term as well but Brisbane gradually worked on top and by half-time ended up holding the narrow 48-46 advantage.

It was in the third quarter when the Caps took further control with 24 points to 14 with their advantage getting out to as much as 12 points and with Rockhampton suffering an injury scare when Malcolm Bernard rolled an ankle.

That meant the Capitals were leading 72-60 going into the fourth quarter and while Bernard was able to make it back for the Rockets, and they did put up 30 points, they couldn’t quite get close enough to strike with Brisbane securing the nine-point victory.

The Caps remain in top spot of the NBL1 North by the end of Round 6 on the back of winning six straight matches now to sit on a 6-1 record having shot 46 per cent from the field to the 38 from Rockhampton.

However, the Rockets won the possession game on the back of 17 offensive rebounds and taking 17 extra field goals, but they just couldn’t quite shoot at a high enough clip and also sent Brisbane to the foul line 30 times.

He is the reigning MVP and Best Defensive Player of the NBL1 North and Brisbane Bullets star Sam McDaniel is working back nicely after missing all of NBL25 with a shoulder injury suffered in the grand final series last year against the Mackay Meteors.

McDaniel delivered 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in Sunday's win with 11/13 free-throw shooting.

He received plenty of help too with Geordan Papacostas finishing with 15 points and four rebounds on 6/9 field goal shooting, Uche Dibiamaka 15 points, seven boards and two blocked shots, and Isaih Tueta 15 points and five assists with 3/4 shooting from downtown.

Matthew Johns also had eight points and three assists, and Cooper Rowlings eight points and five rebounds.

Rockhampton now return home with one win from their three games on the road this weekend to now sit at 3-4 on the season but you couldn’t fault the efforts of the Rockets to wrap up their gruelling weekend.

Harrison Hornery finished with 17 points and six rebounds with 5/10 shooting from behind the three-point arc with Isaac Ayoubi adding 17 points, three boards and two assists despite 6/19 field goal shooting.

Jared Blanchard provided 17 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and two assists on 7/7 shooting with 2/2 from downtown while Malcolm Bernard ended up with 16 points, six boards and six assists, Jalen Graham 11 points and seven rebounds, and Malok Majak seven points, eight boards, three assists and three steals.

BRISBANE CAPITALS 99 (McDaniel 28, Dibiamaka 15, Papacostas 15, Tueta 15)

ROCKHAMPTON ROCKETS 90 (Hornery 17, Ayoubi 17, Blanchard 17)