A PAIR of magnificent performances from Shaneice Swain gave the Cairns Dolphins a serious spark as they went 2-1 in the NBL1 North Women’s competition over the weekend.

It was a decent result for the Dolphins, who continued the resurgence of their season with a pair of strong performances in Round 4 of the 2023 season. Cairns hit the road for the weekend, claiming wins in both matches despite playing in unfamiliar territory.

The Dolphins’ first match came against the Gold Coast Rollers, who had enjoyed a strong start to the season, holding a 3-1 record coming into the match. However, Cairns looked a class above as the Dolphins managed to claim an 11-point win on the back of a dominant second half.

Things were not as convincing in their second match of the round, holding off a stirring comeback from the North Gold Coast Seahawks. Cairns was the leading side at the final change, but the Seahawks threw everything and the kitchen sink at the opposition in the final term. However, the Dolphins maintained their composure in the dying stages to claim a one-point lead.

While the two performances as a team varied, one consistency for the Dolphins was the efforts of Swain. She stood up in a big way across both games, and was a massive reason why the team was able to go 2-1 on the weekend. Although she was not as dominant in her side’s loss to close out the round, Swain’s start to the round was still eye-catching.

Shaneice Swain in Round 4

vs. Gold Coast Rollers – 25 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, four steals
vs. North Gold Coast Seahawks – 34 points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals

It was a positive weekend for both Swain and the Dolphins as a team, with the former playing a huge role in the two wins.

The guard was the best player on the court in both outings, despite holding far less experience than many other players on the court. Swain is just 19 years old, but plays with the skill and composure of a league veteran and was just about unstoppable on the weekend.

In both matches, Swain was the focal point of the Dolphins’ offence, taking far more field goal attempts than her teammates, and for good reason. She was able to use her crafty ball handling to create separation from the defence, and showcased an ability to score as she pleased.

Although Swain’s accuracy was better in the second match – 52 per cent against the Seahawks in comparison to 42 per cent against the Rollers – her impact was felt across both.

Standing five-foot-nine, Swain is not the tallest player on the court, but her natural talent for hunting the loose ball allowed her to excel in the rebounding battle, particularly in the first game of the weekend. She combined with Penina Davidson for a whopping 35 rebounds to help the Dolphins dominate the glass, which was a crucial factor in securing the win.

Cairns’ first game of the round also saw Swain thrive as a playmaker, coming within one assist of a massive triple-double. Her usage rate was much higher than any of her Cairns teammates, and she rarely wasted the ball, either finding her teammates or conjuring a basket herself.

Defensively, Swain was no slouch, pestering the opposition and making good reads on passes to chime in for six steals across two games.

Swain was much more of a scorer in the second match, but still stuffed the stat sheet in both outings. It was an outstanding output from one of the country’s brightest young stars. Although the Dolphins may lose her services soon given Swain’s recent selection in the WNBA draft, Cairns will still be enjoying her services while it can.