North Recap | First Nations Round Friday

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Mackay Meteors got back to winning in NBL1 North after a dramatic week while Nicole Fransson and Tamuri Wigness starred in wins for Southern Districts Spartans with Townsville Flames downing the Meteorettes.

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NORTH RECAP | ROUND 9 SATURDAY

WOMEN

Southern Districts Spartans (90) defeated Gold Coast Rollers (66)

It was top against bottom and things went to script with the Southern Districts Spartans dominating for the 90-66 win over the Gold Coast Rollers with Nicole Fransson delivering another 35 points and 13 rebounds.

With the Spartans coming into the game on top of the NBL1 North at 9-1 and the Rollers last at 0-9 and having lost 17 straight, it was going to always be a tall order for Gold Coast at Rowland Cowan Stadium.

Gold Coast did manage to open up an early five-point lead before Southern Districts responded with an 11-0 run and as a result the home team were leading 21-17 by quarter-time.

The Rollers were sticking in the contest, though, and the Spartans were only leading 38-33 at the half-time interval, but then Southern Districts took control in the second half.

That started with 25 points to 13 in the third quarter on the back of 11/19 field goal shooting to the 4/15 from the Rollers.

It was another 27 points to 20 in the final term as well and the Spartans cruised to the 24-point win to improve to a 10-1 record on the season to retain top spot after their lone game of the weekend.

Nicole Fransson delivered another dominant performance for Southern Districts with 35 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and two assists on 14/24 field goal shooting.

Jess McDowell-White also had 14 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals, Tiana Mangakahia 13 points, five assists and two boards, and Majella Carey nine points and four rebounds.

Gold Coast are now 0-10 on the season ahead of hosting the Northside Wizards on Saturday night with Tera Reed finishing with 14 points, four rebounds and three steals.

Tara Manumaleuga also had 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks, and Jayla Cassidy nine points and three rebounds.

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 90 (Fransson 35, J McDowell-White 14, Mangakahia 13)

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 66 (Reed 14, Manumaleuga 13, Cassidy 9)

Townsville Flames (70) defeated Mackay Meteorettes (67)

The Townsville Flames overcame 31 points and 19 rebounds for the Mackay Meteorettes to score the 70-67 home victory to enhance their finals prospects in the NBL1 North.

The Flames were back home at Carmichael Ford Stadium looking to back up their last up win against the Gold Coast Rollers while the Meteorettes arrived also fresh off a bounce back win over the Ipswich Force to stay in touch of a top two finish.

Mackay came out firing away from home and opened up a 13-point lead in the first quarter and were still on top 27-17 by the end of one.

On the back of that, the Meteors were still on top 40-33 by half-time but Townsville turned things around in the third period with 22 points to 13 on the back of getting to the foul line 12 times to just three from Mackay.

As a result the Flames were leading by two heading into the last quarter and turned that into an eight-point advantage, and the eventual five-point victory.

The win improves Townsville to a 6-6 record to remain right in the playoff hunt with just two games remaining against Rockhampton and Cairns.

Chailee Ward finished with 16 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists in the win for the Flames with 4/10 three-point shooting.

Ainslie Minogue added 12 points and two rebounds with Tayla Dalton contributing 11 points, eight boards, six assists and three steals, Shaylee Browning nine points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Harriet Carey eight points, three boards, two assists and two blocks.

Mackay are now 8-3 on the season following the loss ahead of taking on the fourth placed Cairns Dolphins on Sunday also in the Far North.

Unique Thompson was a dominant presence despite the loss for the Meteorettes with 31 points and 19 rebounds on 14/15 field goal shooting.

Emme Shearer added 12 points and seven rebounds, and Amari Robinson eight points, 10 boards, five assists and two blocked shots.

TOWNSVILLE FLAMES 70 (Ward 16, Minogue 12, Dalton 11)

MACKAY METEORETTES 67 (Thompson 31, Shearer 12, Robinson 8)

MEN

Southern Districts Spartans (105) defeated Gold Coast Rollers (97)

The Gold Coast Rollers started on fire but the Southern Districts Spartans took over from there for the eventual 105-97 home victory to keep their playoff hopes alive.

There was plenty on the line for both teams heading into the Friday night clash at Rowland Cowan Stadium with Gold Coast just clinging to a playoff position and Southern Districts just outside the top six.

It was a flying start away from home for Gold Coast with 30 points to 15 in the first quarter on the back of shooting 13/21 from the field opposed to 6/16 from the Spartans.

Southern Districts were able to turn the tide in the second term with 32 points to 20 on the back of shooting 13/22 from the field with the Rollers managing just the 6/15.

That saw the Spartans cut the Gold Coast lead to 50-47 by half-time and then the home team carried on that momentum from there with another 27 points to 19 in the third frame, and 31 to 28 in the fourth.

That saw Southern Districts come away with the eventual eight-point victory to improve to a 5-5 record on the season with four matches remaining.

Tamuri Wigness held down the back court in the absence of Kyle Adnam and produced 28 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals for the Spartans with 10/19 field shooting and 8/10 at the free-throw line.

Matt Hodgson produced 17 points and six rebounds as well for Southern Districts with 8/9 shooting while Nandor Kuti added 15 points, five boards, three steals and two assists, Andre Ugrinic 14 points and six rebounds, Blake Jones 13 points, 13 boards and four assists, and Max Kerle 12 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Gold Coast are now 5-5 following the defeat as losses setting up a fascinating run home into the finals with Reuben Te Rangi delivering 27 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals ahead of his return to the New Zealand Breakers in NBL26.

Jensen Bradtke is joining the Brisbane Bullets as a development player and looks an exciting young big man talent to follow on from the legendary career of father Mark.

He finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and two assists with Preston Le Gassick adding 14 points, seven assists and five boards, Elijah Kamu 12 points and six rebounds, and Charles Smith IV 12 points, three boards and three assists.

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 105 (Wigness 28, Hodgson 17, Kuti 15)

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 97 (Te Rangi 27, Bradtke 24, Le Gassick 14)

Townsville Heat (92) lost to Mackay Meteors (98)

The defending champion Mackay Meteors responded to a dramatic week that saw a coaching change by keeping their title defence alive with the 98-92 road win over the Townsville Heat.

It was always going to be a fascinating season as defending champs for Mackay given the departures of coach Joel Khalu, captain Isaac White, grand final MVP Todd Blanchfield and fellow stars Emmett Naar and Luca Yates.

Matt Paps was the man to replace Khalu as coach but his tenure lasted just 10 games and came to an end following last week's 12-point loss at home to Lamar Patterson and the Ipswich Force.

Brad Rasmussen will end up taking over as coach, but he was unavailable on Friday night with Jerron Jamerson injured and as a result taking on the head coaching position for the clash with the Heat at Carmichael Ford Stadium.

There was plenty at stake too with Mackay out to bounce back while Townsville was looking to stay in playoff contention, and it was an enterprising first quarter with the teams combining for 52 points.

The Heat were leading 27-25 by quarter-time before things remained close in the second term with 26 points to 23 from the Meteors to see the reigning champions leading 51-50 at the half.

Mackay did open up a 13-point lead in the third quarter but Townsville weren’t going down without a fight and even found themselves back in front when Chris Cedar knocked down a three ball with 6:30 to play.

The home team had all the momentum but the Meteors hit back with a triple from Makuach Maluach before Cameron Goldfinch added a three-point play, and Mackay sealed the deal from there for the six-point victory.

It was the perfect way to put the drama of the week behind them for the Meteors with the win to improve to a 7-4 record ahead of staying in the Far North to play the Cairns Marlins on Sunday.

Makuach Maluach top-scored in the win for Mackay with 21 points, six rebounds and two blocks while Cameron Goldfinch contributed 19 points, six boards and three assists.

Manny Malou also had 17 points and five rebounds, Akol Mawein 17 points, nine boards and three assists, and Jaxon Brenchley 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Townsville are now 4-8 on the season having lost four straight with just two games in their season now to go against Rockhampton and Cairns.

Ethan Betts finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Heat with Grant Teichmann adding 18 points, six assists and four boards on 4/18 three-point shooting.

Matthew Rees also had 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks while Harrison Pennisi contributed 11 points and seven boards.

TOWNSVILLE HEAT 92 (Betts 23, Teichmann 18, Rees 14)

MACKAY METEORS 98 (Maluach 21, Goldfinch 19, Malou 17, Mawein 17)