NBL1 North Recap | Sunday Round 8

Leah Scott and Maddy Rocci lifted the South West Metro Pirates to a Sunday NBL1 North win over the Townsville Flames with Courtney Woods putting up 35 points for the Northside Wizards before Andrew White III also led them to a win over Nathan Sobey's Ipswich Force.

The two women's matches on Sunday to close Round 8 in the NBL1 North saw the South West Metro Pirates beat the Townsville Flames 71-50 and the Northside Wizards defeat the Ipswich Force 110-94.

In the men's match ups, the Pirates beat the Townsville Heat 81-71 and the Wizards defeated the Force 101-90.

NBL1 NORTH RECAP | SATURDAY ROUND 8

NBL1 NORTH RECAP | FRIDAY ROUND 8

WOMEN

Scott, Rocci deliver Pirates win over Flames

The South West Metro Pirates sent the Townsville Flames home with one win this weekend after scoring the 71-50 victory at home on Sunday.

Townsville was playing its third game on the road in Round 8 after losing to the Gold Coast Rollers on Friday but bouncing back to down the North Gold Coast Seahawks on Saturday.

The Pirates were playing their only game of the weekend coming into it having won their past couple and after a close first quarter, South West Metro worked on top with 18 points to seven in the second period.

The Pirates then outscored the Flames 35 points to 27 in the second half to end up winning by 21 to improve to an 8-2 record. Townsville returns home with one and two losses this weekend to sit at 5-7.

Leah Scott and Maddy Rocci were once again the stars for the Pirates as their combination continues to build this season.

Scott finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block while Rocci contributed 20 points, eight assists and seven boards.

Hannah Young added 11 points and seven rebounds, Lulu Twidale six points and six boards, and Alana Fraser six points on 3/5 shooting.

Indiah Bowyer top-scored for Townsville with 13 points and four rebounds with Alex Fowler contributing 12 points and 10 boards, and Kate Gaze 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Steph Reid had an uncharacteristically tough afternoon with four points and four assists on 1/11 shooting.

Maddy Rocci with the hesi and the AND-1 ?

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Woods sparks Wizards to big finish to stay perfect

The Northside Wizards continued their perfect start to the NBL1 North season with Sunday's 110-94 victory against the Ipswich Force.

The Wizards were playing their only game of the weekend putting their unbeaten record on the line against an Ipswich team also making their lone appearance in Round 8 on the back of beating USC Rip City last week.

It was a high octane opening to the contest with both teams fresh and combining for 61 points in the first quarter with the Wizards leading 33-28 at quarter-time.

Northside extended that lead to seven at half-time but Ipswich fired back in the third term to set up a big finish.

However, it was the Wizards all over the Force in the last quarter with 34 points to 17 to come back from trailing by a point to win by 16 and improve to 9-0 on the season. The Force are now 3-6 with the defeat.

Courtney Woods was an unstoppable force the longer the game went for the Wizards ending up with 35 points, 13 assists, five steals and four rebounds on 11/18 shooting from the floor, 3/8 from downtown and 10/10 at the foul line.

Nadeen Payne contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists, AJ Johnson 16 points, 14 boards, six assists and three steals, Alice O'Driscoll 11 points and four rebounds, and Georgia Dale 11 points, four assists and three boards.

Alison Gorrell top-scored for Ipswich with 28 points to go with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Maria Blazejewski added 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and Jasmin Howe 19 points, four boards and two assists.

Georgia Dale from DEEP to beat the buzzer! ?

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MEN

Pirates overrun road weary Heat 

The South West Metro Pirates produced a huge fourth quarter taking advantage of the exhausted Townsville Heat for the 81-71 Sunday victory.

The Pirates were playing their lone game of the weekend while the Heat were playing their third on the road in Round 8 having already lost to Gold Coast on Friday and North Gold Coast on Saturday.

The fresh Pirates started well with 24 points to 17 in the first quarter but the Heat were determined not to return home winless from the weekend and fired up in the second term with 22 points to nine to go into half-time on top 39-33.

However, Townsville just couldn’t keep it going in its third game in as many days and South West Metro outscored them 48 points to 32 after half-time to go on to score the 10-point victory.

The win improves the Pirates to a 5-5 record on the season with the Heat now 3-9 with eight defeats in-a-row.

Kai Woodfall led the charge in the win for South West Metro with 22 points, eight rebounds and two assists on 5/13 three-point shooting.

Ben Volkman also had 12 points, nine rebounds and two assists, Brendan Teys 11 points and six assists, Chris Cedar 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, and Roman Siulepa eight points, seven boards, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

Matthew Rees top-scored for Townsville with 19 points and six rebounds with Ethan Betts adding 15 points and 10 boards, Luca Yates 14 points and six rebounds, and Marcellus Garrick 13 points, three boards and two assists.

White's Wizards beat Sobey's Force

Andrew White III fired and helped to hand his former Brisbane Bullets teammate Nathan Sobey and his Ipswich Force a second loss of the season with Sunday's 101-90 victory.

The Wizards and Force were both playing their only games of the weekend and with the contest highlighted by White and Sobey going head-to-head after being NBL teammates at the Bullets last season, there was a lot to look forward to.

It was a tight contest for three quarters as well with scores tied by quarter-time before the Wizards clung to a one-point advantage at the main break.

Northside turned that into a four-point edge by three quarter-time and then with 27 points to 20 in the final period, the Wizards ended up scoring the 11-point victory.

The Wizards improve to a 6-3 record as a result of the win with Ipswich now 7-2 having lost two of its past three after opening up the season winning six in-a-row.

Andrew White III was the star in the victory for the Wizards putting up 31 points to go with nine rebounds, three assists and two steals while shooting 11/22 from the floor, 3/10 from three-point range and 6/7 at the foul line.

Cameron Healy hit 4/10 from downtown for 21 points and three assists with Lual Diing contributing 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists, Kyle Zunic 14 points, 15 assists, five rebounds and five steals, and Josh Leaney four points, 13 boards, three assists and two blocks.

Jaylin Galloway put up an impressive performance for Ipswich with 31 points, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks while knocking down 6/11 from three-point territory.

Matt Hodgson had his best performance of the season with 20 points, nine boards and two assists while Nathan Sobey contributed 19 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists, and Cameron Goldfinch 16 points, three boards and three assists.

Lual Diing goes ? for the slam ?

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