NBL1 North Recap | Friday Men's Round 4

Nate Jawai made a memorable Darwin Salties debut in NBL1 North Friday night action in a win against the Townsville Heat with Round 4 wins also for the Gold Coast Rollers and Mackay Meteors with some Brisbane Bullets NBL stars coming up huge.

The Mackay Meteors had to come from behind at home to the Brisbane Capitals on Friday night, but they did so impressively to end up winning 69-66.

Biwali Bayles led the way for Mackay with 19 points and 15 rebounds with Manny Malou adding 15 points and nine boards while both Jaylin and Kyrin Galloway delivered some exciting moments. Max Mackinnon finished with 19 points for the Capitals.

The Darwin Salties also came from behind at half-time following a half-court bomb from Chris Kann to end up winning in Townsville over the Heat on Friday night 96-88 with their NBL trio leading the way.

New Melbourne United signing Makuach Maluach put up 29 points while Tad Dufelmeier produced 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Nate Jawai 14 points and eight boards ahead of his highly-anticipated return to Cairns to play the Marlins on Saturday night.

The Gold Coast Rollers then came back from an eight-point three quarter-time deficit to beat the Ipswich Force 88-79.

Lamar Patterson delivered 31 points for Gold Coast, Jason Cadee 24 and Tanner Krebs 23 with the trio combining to shoot 11/31 from the land of plenty. Majok Deng delivered 28 points and 12 rebounds for Ipswich.

Round 4 in the NBL1 North competition now continues on Saturday evening starting with the Northside Wizards playing host to the North Gold Coast Seahawks at 7pm.

Then at 7.30pm, the Red City Roar takes on the Southern Districts Spartans, the Rockhampton Rockets play the Brisbane Capitals and the South West Metro Pirates are at home to the Gold Coast Rollers.

And finally on Saturday at 6pm, the Cairns Marlins will host Nate Jawai and the Darwin Salties and the Logan Thunder take on USC Rip City.

The Round 4 action then continues at 5pm on Sunday with the Southern Districts Spartans hosting the Sunshine Coast Phoenix.

NBL1 NORTH – 2022 MEN'S SEASON
ROUND 4 – FRIDAY NIGHT

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 88 defeated IPSWICH FORCE 79

The Gold Coast Rollers had to overcome a slow start but their Brisbane Bullets NBL trio ended up lifting when it mattered to deliver them the nine-point home win over the Ipswich Force on Friday night.

The Force started impressively at Carrara Stadium with Majok Deng leading the charge and the Cairns Taipans NBL star helped them to a 23-15 lead by quarter-time.

Ipswich was still leading 45-38 by half-time but the longer the game went the more Bullets trio Jason Cadee, Lamar Patterson and Tanner Krebs lifted for the Rollers.

That ended up seeing Gold Coast outscore Ipswich 50 points to 34 in the second half to come away with the 88-79 victory to improve to 2-0 on the season while the Force are now 2-5.

The trio of Bullets NBL players, Cadee, Patterson and Krebs, combined for 78 points, 24 rebounds, 17 assists and five steals for the Rollers while taking 56 of their 77 shot attempts.

Patterson finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while hitting 4/8 from three-point territory with Cadee adding 24 points and eight assists while nailing 5/12 from beyond the arc.

Tanner Krebs also contributed 23 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals for Gold Coast with Jaryd Eustice adding five points and nine boards, and Devon Sullivan five points and seven rebounds.

Majok Deng finished the evening with 28 points and 12 rebounds for Ipswich with Henry Pwono contributing 18 points and five boards, and Isaac White 14 points, six rebounds and three assists.

TOWNSVILLE HEAT 88 lost to DARWIN SALTIES 96

The Darwin Salties had to come from behind but with Tad Dufelmeier, Makuach Maluach and Nate Jawai leading the way, they ended up overpowering the Townsville Heat on the road on Friday night.

With Jawai creating waves with his signing for the Salties in their inaugural NBL1 North season, Darwin started well at Townsville StarFM Stadium on Friday night to lead 28-21 by quarter-time.

It was new Melbourne United signing Maluach who was the early star, though, before the home team began to take over. 

The Heat scored 31 points to 21 in the second quarter and then went into half-time leading 52-49 on the back of a prayer of a half-court shot from Chris Kann on the buzzer after a steal.

However, the Salties eventually worked their way on top and it was the presence of Dufelmeir running the point and Jawai inside that proved pivotal as they outscored Townsville 47 points to 36 in the second half to end up winning 96-88.

Having signed his first NBL contract early in the day in the start to Free Agency, Makuach Maluach produced another impressive display for Darwin made up of 29 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Jerron Jamerson delivered 20 points and nine rebounds as well while Adelaide 36ers guard Tad Dufelmeier put up 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and Nate Jawai 14 points and eight boards ahead of his highly-anticipated return to Cairns on Saturday night to play the Marlins.

Despite the eventual defeat, Ethan Betts put up 20 points and five assists for Townsville with Richard Peachey contributing 24 points and nine rebounds, Matthew Rees 12 points and 10 boards, Taine Wattie eight points, Harrison Penisi eight points and seven rebounds, and Chris Kann eight points.

MACKAY METEORS 69 defeated BRISBANE CAPITALS 66

The Mackay Meteors bounced back from their first loss of the season last Saturday night to hand the Brisbane Capitals their first defeat on Friday night.

The Meteors had lost to the Todd Blanchfield, Isaiah Moss-charged Rockhampton Rockets last Saturday night for their first loss of the season ahead of hosting the undefeated Capitals at Mackay Basketball Stadium on Friday night to open Round 4.

Brisbane started strongly away from home with Illawarra Hawks guard Lachlan Dent on fire on the way to a 25-16 quarter-time lead.

The Capitals still led 47-37 heading into half-time and they were still hanging onto the 60-51 advantage by three quarter-time.

However, the Meteors weren’t done with yet and with the energy of Jaylin and Kyrin Galloway, they helped to overrun the Capitals with 18 points to six in the fourth quarter to end up winning 69-66.

The win for Mackay improves them to 3-1 now on the season while the Capitals suffered their first loss to slip to 2-1.

Sydney Kings championship winning guard Biwali Bayles ended up delivering huge for Mackay with 19 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Adelaide 36ers forward Manny Malou also had 15 points and nine rebounds with Malok Majak contributing 12 points and six boards, Kyrin Galloway eight points and six rebounds, and Jaylin Galloway seven points.

Max Mackinnon finished with 19 points and eight rebounds for the Capitals with Lachlan Dent contributing 15 points and seven boards, and Nick Stoddart nine points and three assists.