North Spotlight | Bruce returns to Logan in style

Shaun Bruce is waiting to see where he plays in NBL27 after departing a three-time Sydney Kings champion and has returned to Logan Thunder with seven three-pointers for 32 points in their NBL1 North opening 106-79 win against the Gold Coast Rollers.

Gold Coast finished top at the end of the 2025 regular season and come into 2026 attempting to make up for their disappointing finals exit beginning on Sunday hosting Logan at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium.

The Thunder had a tough 2025 but have loaded up for 2026 and it's the back court that coach Luke Cann has featuring Bruce and Zac Triplett that could take them a long way based on their first up showing.

That pair combined for 55 points, 17 rebounds, 14 assists, five steals and eight three-point makes with Logan winning by 27 in the finish with Bruce especially prominent after winning a third NBL title and now returning to the Thunder where he's previously played in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

>> NORTH SPOTLIGHT | CAPS WIN STUNNING GF REMATCH IN OT

>> NORTH SPOTLIGHT | PHOENIX OPEN NEW SEASON WITH HOME WIN

It was the perfect start to the season for Logan on the back of winning just five games in 2025 and losing the last five to cap things off.

The Thunder finished off shooting 48 per cent from the field to 41 from Gold Coast, 13/28 from three to 7/27, and also forced the Rollers into 20 turnovers from which they scored 21 points.

Bruce is fresh off winning a third NBL championship at the Sydney Kings and looks like having a new home for NBL27, but in between has returned to Logan and did so with a bang on Sunday hitting 7/9 from downtown for 32 points with nine assists and seven rebounds.

Zac Triplett also showed his continued growth with 23 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals while Cal Dalton delivered 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists on the back of being an injury replacement player once again in NBL26 at the Brisbane Bullets.

Hunter Marks also had 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, and Tom Howard eight points, six boards and three assists.

It wasn’t the start to the season Gold Coast was hoping for but Jensen Bradtke did show good signs that he's got better again on the back of an NBL season as a development player at the Brisbane Bullets.

He finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

James Whitt also contributed 16 points, six rebounds and four assists, Boston Mazlin 12 points, seven boards and four assists, and Ash McGrath nine points and four assists.

Both teams were playing their first game of the season with Logan opening up a 10-point lead with a 9-0 run in the first quarter before being up 20-15 by quarter-time with a combined 13 points from Hunter Marks and Cal Dalton.

That was with both teams combining to shoot just 1/15 from behind the arc for the first quarter but both picked that up in the second term going 7/10 and as a result they were able to combine for 60 points.

That saw Logan score 32 of those and by half-time they were leading 52-43 with Bruce already having 16 points with 3/4 three-point shooting while Dalton and Zac Triplett combined for 22.

It was another 25 points to 18 in the third quarter in favour of the Thunder as the lead got out to as much as 16 points and then that advantage got to 30 in the fourth frame and they won by 27.

Logan will now play their first home game of 2026 on Anzac Day against the Brisbane Capitals with the Rollers also staying at home next Sunday against the Ipswich Force.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 1

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 79 (Bradtke 18, Whitt 16, Mazlin 12)

LOGAN THUNDER 106 (Bruce 32, Triplett 23, Marks 15)

North Spotlight | Bruce returns to Logan in style

nbl1 nbl1north

By Chris Pike for NBL1.com.au

Logan Thunder opened their NBL1 North season with a bang beating the Gold Coast Rollers by 27 points.

Featured image: Michael Farnell @sportsimageryau

Shaun Bruce is waiting to see where he plays in NBL27 after departing a three-time Sydney Kings champion and has returned to Logan Thunder with seven three-pointers for 32 points in their NBL1 North opening 106-79 win against the Gold Coast Rollers.

Gold Coast finished top at the end of the 2025 regular season and come into 2026 attempting to make up for their disappointing finals exit beginning on Sunday hosting Logan at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium.

The Thunder had a tough 2025 but have loaded up for 2026 and it's the back court that coach Luke Cann has featuring Bruce and Zac Triplett that could take them a long way based on their first up showing.

That pair combined for 55 points, 17 rebounds, 14 assists, five steals and eight three-point makes with Logan winning by 27 in the finish with Bruce especially prominent after winning a third NBL title and now returning to the Thunder where he's previously played in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

>> NORTH SPOTLIGHT | CAPS WIN STUNNING GF REMATCH IN OT

>> NORTH SPOTLIGHT | PHOENIX OPEN NEW SEASON WITH HOME WIN

It was the perfect start to the season for Logan on the back of winning just five games in 2025 and losing the last five to cap things off.

The Thunder finished off shooting 48 per cent from the field to 41 from Gold Coast, 13/28 from three to 7/27, and also forced the Rollers into 20 turnovers from which they scored 21 points.

Bruce is fresh off winning a third NBL championship at the Sydney Kings and looks like having a new home for NBL27, but in between has returned to Logan and did so with a bang on Sunday hitting 7/9 from downtown for 32 points with nine assists and seven rebounds.

Zac Triplett also showed his continued growth with 23 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals while Cal Dalton delivered 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists on the back of being an injury replacement player once again in NBL26 at the Brisbane Bullets.

Hunter Marks also had 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, and Tom Howard eight points, six boards and three assists.

It wasn’t the start to the season Gold Coast was hoping for but Jensen Bradtke did show good signs that he's got better again on the back of an NBL season as a development player at the Brisbane Bullets.

He finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

James Whitt also contributed 16 points, six rebounds and four assists, Boston Mazlin 12 points, seven boards and four assists, and Ash McGrath nine points and four assists.

Both teams were playing their first game of the season with Logan opening up a 10-point lead with a 9-0 run in the first quarter before being up 20-15 by quarter-time with a combined 13 points from Hunter Marks and Cal Dalton.

That was with both teams combining to shoot just 1/15 from behind the arc for the first quarter but both picked that up in the second term going 7/10 and as a result they were able to combine for 60 points.

That saw Logan score 32 of those and by half-time they were leading 52-43 with Bruce already having 16 points with 3/4 three-point shooting while Dalton and Zac Triplett combined for 22.

It was another 25 points to 18 in the third quarter in favour of the Thunder as the lead got out to as much as 16 points and then that advantage got to 30 in the fourth frame and they won by 27.

Logan will now play their first home game of 2026 on Anzac Day against the Brisbane Capitals with the Rollers also staying at home next Sunday against the Ipswich Force.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 1

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 79 (Bradtke 18, Whitt 16, Mazlin 12)

LOGAN THUNDER 106 (Bruce 32, Triplett 23, Marks 15)