NBL1 North Recap | Friday Round 6

Steph Reid put up 43 points and Catherine Reese 37 in Friday night NBL1 North wins for the Townsville Flames and Gold Coast Rollers while the Southern Districts Spartans and Gold Coast men were also victorious.

The two women's NBL1 North Friday night matches saw the Townsville Flames beat the Southern Districts Spartans 85-77 with the Gold Coast Rollers defeating the Mackay Meteorettes 110-75.

In the corresponding men's fixtures, the Spartans defeated the Townsville Heat 92-84, and the Rollers downed the Mackay Meteors 101-89.

WOMEN

Reid comes up huge in Flames win over Spartans

The defending NBL1 North champion Townsville Flames returned home and celebrated with an 85-77 victory over the Southern Districts Spartans on Friday night thanks to 43 points from Steph Reid.

Townsville lost at home in a tight one to the Darwin Salties last week which snapped a three-game winning run after the Flames opened their championship defence with four successive losses.

Steph Reid is in MVP form ?

4??3?? points, 1??1?? rebounds, 7?? assists and 5?? steals in the Friday night win ?

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They were again at Townsville StarFM Stadium on Friday night to play host to the Spartans, and it proved to be a high-calibre contest.

The Flames led narrowly 22-20 by quarter-time before the Spartans turned things around with 20 points to 13 in the second term to head into the main break leading 40-35.

Townsville turned the tide after half-time with 21 points to 14 in the third quarter, and with another 29 to 23 in the fourth they were able to secure the eight-point win.

The result improves the Flames to a 4-5 record on the season with the Spartans now 3-4 following the defeat.

Steph Reid produced a monstrous performance for Townsville in the win with 43 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and five steals on 15/21 shooting from the floor, 3/4 from downtown and 10/11 at the foul line.

Kate Gaze added 14 points and six rebounds for the Flames, Majella Carey 10 points and five boards, and Ainslie Minogue eight points with 2/2 from three-point land.

Elin Gustavsson also had a supreme game for Southern Districts with 31 points and 13 rebounds while Maddy Allen added 27 points, eight boards and four assists, and Krystal Leger-Walker seven points and five assists.

Maddy Allen is too strong ?

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Massive night from Reese in road win for Rollers

The Gold Coast Rollers might have lost their last couple but returned to winning form in the most emphatic way possible beating the Mackay Meteorettes 110-75 with Catherine Reese a massive reason for that.

Gold Coast had lost three of the last four games, including the past two, coming into the Friday night battle at Mackay Basketball Stadium, and with 37 points from Reese they proved far too strong for the Meteorettes.

Magical footwork from Madison MacDonald ?

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Mackay was fresh off its second win of the season last week against the South West Metro Pirates, but they were no match for the Rollers who started to work on top in the second quarter to lead 50-41 at half-time.

Gold Coast really took over in the second half with 32 points to 11 in the third quarter helping to set up the eventual 35-point win to improve them to 4-3 on the season with Mackay now 2-5.

Catherine Reese was outstanding for Gold Coast with 37 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks on shooting 16/25 from the floor and 5/6 from the free-throw line.

Ariana Moorer added 21 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, seven steals and three blocks in a brilliant all-round display with Carla Drennan contributing 13 points and four rebounds, and Jasmine Hooper 13 points, nine boards, four steals, two assists and two blocks.

Davida Dale top-scored for Mackay with 21 points, eight rebounds, six steals and six assists with Charli Bliss adding 14 points and eight boards, Courtney Virgo 12 points, and Nikita Van Wyk 10 points and three rebounds.

Jade Peacock is impossible to guard ?

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MEN

Spartans win on the road to hand Heat fifth straight loss

The Southern Districts Spartans hit the road on Friday night and produced a standout performance with Akoldah Gak, Koen Sapwell and Fabijan Krslovic firing in a 92-82 win against the Townsville Heat.

The Heat remained at home looking to snap a four-game losing streak while the Spartans had also lost their past two, but it was the visitors who began to pull away in the second period.

Right time, right place.

Luca Yates finds himself open for the DUNK ?

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Southern Districts scored 24 points to 14 in the quarter to go into intermission leading 46-35. Townsville, though, fired right back in spectacular fashion in the third term with 29 points to 17.

That saw the Heat lead 64-63 heading into three quarter-time, but it was all the Spartans in the final period with 29 points to 20 see them claim the eight-point win.

The result improves Southern Districts to 2-5 on the season with Townsville now 3-6 with five straight defeats including the last two on their home floor.

Koen Sapwell was among the superb performers in the win for the Spartans delivering 27 points and six assists on 8/12 shooting from the field and 9/10 from the foul line.

New Cairns Taipans NBL signing Akoldah Gak put up 20 points and 13 rebounds with Tasmania JackJumpers big Fabijan Krslovic delivering 19 points, 10 boards, four steals and two assists.

Marcellus Garrick did all he could to try and lift Townsville to the win with 35 points and seven rebounds including shooting 4/9 from downtown and 11/12 at the foul line.

Luca Yates also had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Ethan Betts 13 points, six assists, four boards and three steals.

Kian Dennis with the steal and SLAM ?

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Gold Coast hand Mackay back-to-back defeats

This time last week and the Mackay Meteors hadn’t tasted defeat yet this NBL1 North season but they now have two to their account after the Gold Coast Rollers defeated them 101-89.

Mackay opened up the season winning its first five matches before a slip up on their home floor last Saturday night to the South West Metro Pirates.

Beautiful ball-movement from Gold Coast ends with Elijah Kamu AND-1 ??

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The defending champion Rollers then arrived at Mackay Basketball Stadium on Friday having won their past three matches so the stage was set for a tantalising match up with plenty of talent on either side.

Mackay was out to bounce back from that first loss of the season and started well at home with 28 points to 22 in the opening quarter, but Gold Coast responded with 31 points to 19 in the second to lead 53-47.

The Rollers put the game to bed in the fourth period with 27 points to 20 to end up winning by 12 and to improve to a 5-2 record as a result with the Meteors now 5-2.

New Melbourne United NBL signing Tanner Krebs is warming into the season with Gold Coast nicely and delivered 29 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Jason Cadee was terrific again for the Rollers with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists with fellow NBL veteran Todd Blanchfield contributing 19 points and 15 boards.

Isaac White continued his brilliant season with the Meteors ahead of his joining the Brisbane Bullets for NBL24 with another 35 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Tyler Williams contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Shane Temara 16 points, five boards and two assists.

Tanner Krebs with the strong lefty finish ?

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