North Spotlight | Baldwin, Meteorettes dominate second half

Featured image: @bvm.visuals

The Mackay Meteorettes came back from a 16-point deficit to dominate the second half outscoring the North Gold Coast Seahawks 63 points to 34 for the 108-81 home NBL1 North win with River Baldwin delivering 32 points and 13 rebounds.

The Meteorettes were back home at Mackay Basketball Stadium trying to stay in touch with the top two teams ahead of taking on the undefeated Cairns Dolphins next week while the Seahawks arrived fresh off a win over the Ipswich Force.

North Gold Coast then made an impressive start to be leading by 16 points in the second quarter after Katie Deeble had scored 15 herself in the opening term.

Mackay had begun to turn the tide before half-time to be down by just two ahead of taking charge with 63 points to 34 in the second half on the back of shooting 21/33 from the field and 16/17 at the foul line while limiting the Seahawks to shooting 8/28 from the floor and 15/26 at the free-throw line.

>> NORTH WRAP | WOMEN'S ROUND 8

>> ALYSSA EMBRACING LIFE IN BRISBANE, AS A PRO

>> HERITAGE ROUND | ROCKY BASKETBALL EVERYTHING FOR TWEEDYS

The win improves Mackay to an 8-2 record on the season with River Baldwin an imposing presence on her way to 32 points, 13 rebounds and two assists on 9/13 field goal shooting along with going 14/16 at the charity stripe.

Monique Bobongie also had 19 points, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks, Sammie Puisis 17 points, five boards and three assists, Alley Simpson 13 points, five rebounds and three assists, and Cheyenne Bobongie 11 points, nine assists and four boards.

North Gold Coast start their road double in Far North Queensland by slipping to 3-6 on the season with Georgia Woolley finishing with 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists with 14/15 foul shooting.

Katie Deeble also had 23 points with 6/9 shooting from beyond the arc while Charli Reece contributed eight points and six rebounds, Maddison Baxter seven points, five assists and three boards, and Antonette Emma-Nnopu six points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists.

The Seahawks arrived for their road double coming off a strong win and then made an impressive start to already be leading Mackay 26-15 by the end of the first quarter with Katie Deeble on fire with 15 points already.

North Gold Coast made a stunning 7/9 from behind the three-point arc in that first frame to just the 0/4 from Mackay despite six points already from River Baldwin.

The lead for the Seahawks then grew to 16 points in the second quarter before Mackay worked back into the contest and were just two points down by half-time.

North Gold Coast were leading still 47-45 with Deeble up to 18 points with 5/7 three-point shooting and Georgia Woolley adding 12 by half-time but the Meteorettes had taken 21 free-throw attempts to 15 and Baldwin had added another 12 points in the second term.

It was then all the Meteorettes on their home floor throughout the second half with 32 points to 21 in the third quarter on the back of making 12/16 of their shot attempts and 3/5 from downtown while the Seahawks shot just the 4/9 despite going 11/16 at the foul line.

That lead for Mackay continued to grow with another 31 points to 13 in the fourth quarter and they secured the 27-point win to maintain pace for a top two position.

The Meteorettes remain at home to host the Cairns Dolphins next Saturday night while the Seahawks have until next Sunday when they play host to the South West Metro Pirates.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 9

MACKAY METEORETTES 108 (Baldwin 32, M Bobongie 19, Puisis 17)

NORTH GOLD COAST SEAHAWKS 81 (Woolley 25, Deeble 23, Reece 8)