North Recap | Round 3 Friday

Sam Bowman dominated in a Townsville Flames home win in Friday night's NBL1 North while the Brisbane Capitals men opened up their road double in the Far North beating the Heat.

NORTH RECAP | ROUND 2 SATURDAY

WOMEN

Townsville Flames (76) defeated Brisbane Capitals (67)

Sam Bowman delivered a dominant performance with 34 points and 17 rebounds to help the Townsivlle Flames overcome the injection of Miela Sowah for the Brisbane Capitals with the 76-67 victory.

The Flames were back home at Carmichael Ford Stadium looking for a first victory on their own floor this season having lost first up to the Cairns Dolphins.

Brisbane also arrived yet to win this season after losses to the Northside Wizards and Southern Districts Spartans by a combined 45 points, but they welcomed in Perth Lynx WNBL and Australian Gangurrus 3x3 star Miela Sowah for the trip this weekend to Far North Queensland.

On the back of Sowah's arrival, the Caps started strongly too making five three-pointers in the first quarter on the way to leading 25-20 by quarter-time.

The Capitals were still leading 39-36 going into the half-time break too but then the Flames got on top in the third period with 20 points to 12 even while only shooting 7/19 from the field.

However, they held Brisbane to 2/13 shooting in that third quarter and it would prove the difference as the Flames built on that momentum to lead by as much as 16 in the final term on the way to the eventual nine-point win.

The victory improves Townsville to a 2-2 record on the season with Sam Bowman ultimately the major difference between the two teams with her 34 points, 17 rebounds, four assists and three steals on 13/22 shooting from the field and 8/13 at the free-throw line.

Tayla Dalton added 20 points, four assists and three rebounds for the Flames, Challee Ward 13 points, seven boards and two assists, and Shaylee Browning six points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Brisbane are now 0-3 to start the season ahead of taking on Cairns on Saturday night to complete the road double with Miela Sowah marking her first appearance of the season with 27 points, six steals, five assists and four rebounds.

Grace Ellis also had 12 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for Brisbane, Keriana Hippolite seven points and two boards, and Ashley Arlen seven points, seven rebounds and two assists.

TOWNSVILLE FLAMES 76 (Bowman 34, Dalton 20, Ward 13)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 67 (Sowah 27, Ellis 12, Arlen 7, Hippolite 7)

MEN

Townsville Heat (71) lost to Brisbane Capitals (82)

The Brisbane Capitals opened their double-header this weekend in Far North Queensland with the 82-71 victory against the Townsville Heat.

Coming off making last year's grand final, Brisbane scored their first win of the season last week against the Southern Districts Spartans while Townsville had won two of their first three matches of 2025 as well.

The Heat were back home at Carmichael Ford Stadium and while neither team managed to make on outside shot in the first quarter, Townsville did shoot 9/13 inside the arc opposed to Brisbane's 3/10 for the home team to lead 22-9 by the end of one.

The Capitals were able to turn the tide in the second period with23 points to 15 on the back of shooting 9/20 opposed to the 7/20 from Townsville.

The Heat were still leading 37-32 by half-time before Brisbane dominated the third term with 31 points to 19 while finding their offensive groove shooting 11/15 from the field including 3/5 from downtown.

The Caps went on with the momentum from there with another 19 points to 15 in the last term to score the 11-point victory to start their road trip in ideal fashion.

Townsville still ended up taking more shots than Brisbane, but the Capitals shot 46 per cent opposed to 36 while hitting 5/20 to 2/23 from three-point range.

Brisbane improves to a 2-1 record with the win with Uche Dibiamaka delivering 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Timothy Soong added 14 points and five assists, Matthew Johns 14 points, 15 rebounds and three assists, and Cameron Thew 12 points, 13 boards and three assists.

The Capitals also scored the win with reigning MVP and Brisbane Bullets NBL star Sam McDaniel having just seven points and four rebounds as he works his way back from a long-term shoulder injury.

Townsville are now 2-2 having lost two straight despite Ethan Betts finishing with 20 points, eight assists and four rebounds.

Harry Pennisi added 15 points and seven rebounds on 7/11 shooting, Richard Peachey 15 points and six boards, and Matthew Rees six points and 10 rebounds.

TOWNSVILLE HEAT 71 (Betts 20, Pennisi 15, Peachey 15)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 82 (Dibiamaka 18, Johns 14, Soong 14)