NBL1 North division kicked off its 2021 season in style over the weekend, as teams return to action after quite a long offseason.

USC Rip City v Sunshine Coast Phoenix

Women:

The Phoenix showed no signs of rust as they took down Rip City by 19 points at USC Sports Stadium on Thursday night. The Phoenix opened the game in style with a 26-point first quarter, with Rip City unable to match the scoring output and the lead was only extended throughout the match. For the victors, Biancia Abbott was dominant with 22 points and 14 rebounds to lead her side to victory, and teammate Kathleen Macleod poured in 18 points and nine assists. For Rip City, Carlie Smith fought hard with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Men:

The Phoenix were dominant as they crushed Rip City by a whopping 42 points on Thursday night. One sided first, third and fourth quarters told the story, as Rip City could not contain their opponents, who were able to get good looks from wherever they pleased. If the Phoenix can maintain this sort of output, they will prove difficult to overcome as the season progresses. For the Phoenix, Nelson Kahler was outstanding with 28 points and 12 rebounds, and combined well with teammate Darnell Robateau who had 24 points of his own. For USC, Isaih Tueta was the only scorer in double digits with 17 points.

Townsville Flames v Mackay Meteorettes/Meteors

Women:

Townsville pulled off an amazing comeback to defeat Mackay by four points at Townsville StarFM Stadium on Friday night. The Flames trailed by 12 points at the main break with plenty to ponder after being convincingly outplayed after two quarters of action. The second half saw the side flick a switch as they found their rhythm on both ends of the court, with Mia Murray’s three pointer late in the final term giving her side a lead they would eventually defend. For Townsville, Stephanie Reid defeated her shooting woes to pour in 18 points which would prove crucial. For Mackay, Cayla George can hold her head high with 17 points and 17 rebounds.

Men:

Townsville held off a fast-finishing Mackay side to take the win by three points in each side’s first outing of the year. The Flames had a 12-point lead at halftime, as the game pointed toward a blowout, but Mackay fought back to make it just a four point game heading into the final term. They even took the lead late in the game, but Townsville did just enough to walk away with the win after a tense clash. For the winners, Jalen Patton-Croker top scored with 17 points, but it truly was a team driven performance. For Mackay, Emmanuel Malou was nearly the match-winner with 28 points in a strong offensive performance.

Brisbane Capitals v Northside Wizards

Women:

A strong final term sealed the result for the Capitals as they defeated the Wizards by 17 points at Auchenflower Stadium on Saturday. The Wizards were within 10 points heading into the fourth quarter with just the slightest sniff of a comeback, but the Capitals put the pedal to the metal in the fourth to claim an important victory in the first round. For the Capitals, Brooke Blair was a beast offensively, finishing with 23 points as the Wizards’ defenders had no answer. For Northside, Georgia Woolley’s 19 points kept her side in the contest.

Men:

The Brisbane Capitals have opened their 2021 account in style, with a dominant 28-point blowout of the Northside Wizards on Saturday. The Capitals blew the game open in the final quarter to send a message to the rest of the competition that they mean business this season. The Capitals outscored their opponents by 27 points in the second half to put the game well out of reach. For the victors, five players scored over 15 points in a remarkably spread-out performance that will surely scare upcoming opponents. For the Capitals, Cameron Thew was the strongest with 23 points and nine rebounds.

Logan Thunder v Red City Roar

Women:

The Logan Thunder were absolutely ruthless in taking down the Red City Roar, eventually triumphing by a whopping 58 points at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre on Saturday. Outscoring the Roar by 40 points in the first half alone, the Thunder were scarily good with their ability to constantly find ideal looks at a shot, while the Roar shot terribly for the length of the match. For the Thunder, Ashley Taia was the clear star with 35 points and 10 three pointers in one of the most dominant displays of the weekend.

Men:

The Logan Thunder set up their 18-point win with a clinical first quarter as they took down the Roar at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre on Saturday night. The Thunder worked their way to a 22-point lead at the end of the first quarter, and the game was quite even for the next three quarters, but the Roar were unable to close the massive gap that was set up in the first term. For the Thunder, Jeremy Kendle was outstanding, finishing with a triple-double of 29 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists as the game’s best performer. For the Roar, Darryl Mcdowell-White’s 20 points were crucial in sparking his side’s offensive output.

Cairns Dolphins/Marlins v Mackay Meteorettes/Meteors

Women:

Mackay bounced back from their poor loss to Townsville with an emphatic 42-point victory over the Cairns Dolphins at Early Settler Stadium on Saturday night. Mackay were clinical as they ran over the top of their opponents from the very first bounce, outscoring the Dolphins by 22 in the first term and not looking back from there. For the winners, Chelsea Brook was fantastic, ending the match with 37 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, but just as impressive was teammate Cayla George with 22 points and 20 rebounds. For the Dolphins, Sarah Heard scored 18 points in a promising performance.

Men:

Early Settler Stadium was treated to a thriller on Saturday night, as the Cairns Marlins fell two points short to the Mackay Meteors, who were thrilled to take home their first win of the season following a tough loss to open the year. Meteor Christopher Cedar was the hero, hitting a clutch three pointer with six seconds remaining to give his side the game winning lead in the tense battle. Following a 27-16 first quarter, it looked like the Meteors were going to walk away with an easy win, but the Marlins kept themselves in the contest right up until the final buzzer. For the Meteors, Cedar and Emmanuel Malou combined for 38 points and 22 rebounds as a dynamic duo, while Marlin Anthony Fisher competed strongly all match.

South West Metro Pirates v Southern Districts Spartans

Women:

The Southern Districts Spartans delivered a strong four quarter performance as they took down the South West Metro Pirates to the tune of 29 points at Hibiscus Sports Stadium on Saturday night. The Spartans dominated for the entire game, never giving their opponents a look in at a comeback and will be looking to build on this performance as they resume the 2021 season on the weekend. For the Spartans, Maddison Rocci was fantastic with 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in a performance that proves that she can truly do it all. For the Pirates, Amanda Johnson was inspirational as she fought her way to 30 points and 18 rebounds.

Men:

The final quarter comeback fell just short as the Spartans held off a fast-finishing Pirates side to claim their first win of the season. The Pirates had the highest scoring term in the final quarter but could not get past the final hurdle, falling just six points short of an inspirational victory. For the Spartans, Josh Derksen was impressive to start the season with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Pirate Kai Woodfall was great with 20 points of his own.

Gold Coast Rollers v Ipswich Force

Women:

The Gold Coast Rollers could not have started their season any better, defeating the Ipswich Force by 24 points at Carrara Stadium on Sunday. The Rollers had remarkable first and fourth quarters, outscoring the Force by 38 points in these two terms as they set up an impressive win with plenty to build on in the upcoming rounds. For the Rollers, Lauren Mansfield led the way with an eye-catching 27-point performance. For the Force, Amy Lewis never gave up as she finished the match with 21 points.

Men:

The closest game of the round was saved for last as the Gold Coast Rollers escaped Carrara Stadium with a one-point triumph over the Ipswich Force on Sunday. Gold Coast’s Jaryd Eustace did not shy away from the big moment, hitting a clutch shot from long range to give his side a one-point lead with six seconds remaining. The Force couldn’t answer, and the Rollers emerged victorious in an absolute thriller. Eustace was the clear hero for the Rollers, shaking off his poor shooting performance to deliver the biggest shot of the game. For the Force, Jason Ralph’s 20-point performance were integral in nearly giving his side the win.

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Picture credit: Courier Mail