North Finals | Monique has 25 and Meteorettes stay alive

Featured image: @bvm.visuals

The Mackay Meteorettes opened up a 26-point lead by the third quarter and that did prove enough for them to keep their NBL1 North season alive despite a big finish from the Northside Wizards for them to hold on and win 94-87.

There was precious little that separated the two teams by the end of the regular season with both finishing on 11-5 records and also winning their last three games, but it was the Meteorettes just earning home court advantage to take on the Wizards at Mackay Basketball Stadium.

The seasons of both teams went on the line in the match up too and Mackay opened up a 10-point lead in the first quarter on the way to still leading 20-13 by quarter-time on shooting 9/23 to the 4/18 from the Wizards and with Sammie Puisis up to 10 points.

>> NORTH FINALS | WOODS STARS AS FLAMES WIN A THRILLER

>> NORTH WRAP | WOMEN'S ROUND 14

It was then another 29 points to 14 in the second quarter from the Meteorettes with the lead getting out to 23 points along the way and by half-time they were on top 49-27.

Mackay were still shooting 50 per cent from the field for the half with 7/14 from the outside to the 32 per cent and 3/5 from Northside while the Meteorettes got up an extra nine shots with the Wizards having 10 turnovers.

That lead grew further for the home team and got out to 26 points early in the third quarter before Northside did begin to fight back into the contest and had the margin back to 21 at three quarter-time after putting up 25 points with 10/14 shooting.

The Wizards managed to make it 11 straight points in the fourth quarter too and they did hold the Meteorettes to 21 on 4/15 shooting with 12/14 from the foul line while putting up another 33 themselves with 13/25 shooting from the floor and 4/8 from the outside.

It wasn’t quite enough, though, and Mackay held on for the seven-point victory with Monique Bobongie ending up with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Sammie Puisis also delivered 17 points with Chelsea Brook contributing 12 points, seven rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks, Hannah Jansen 11 points, five assists and three rebounds, and Alley Simpson nine points, four boards and two assists.

River Baldwin then also continued her season that saw her make the All-Second Team and she ended up with another 16 points and 13 rebounds.

That's the end of the season for the Wizards that promised so much and once again Nes'eya Parker-Williams was a standout in her first season that saw her named in the All-Second Team and mighty unlucky not to have been in the First.

She produced another 26 points, 11 rebounds and two assists with Alice O'Driscoll adding 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks, Grace Ellis 14 points, nine boards and four assists, and Kelsey Ransom 15 points and seven assists.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | QUALIFYING FINAL

MACKAY METEORETTES 94 (M Bobongie 25, Puisis 17, Baldwin 16)

NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 87 (Parker-Williams 26, O'Driscoll 18, Random 15)