North Spotlight | Caps destroy Spartans on Bairstow triple double

Featured image: @taylorearnshaw.photog

It was a second NBL1 North Grand Final rematch in name only really given all the new faces the Brisbane Capitals have but with a monster Jarred Bairstow triple double showing the way, they again beat the Southern Districts Spartans 109-85.

The season started with a Grand Final rematch with the Caps winning in overtime over the Spartans and the teams backed up again on Saturday night at Rowland Cowan Stadium.

Southern Districts had beaten the Rockhampton Rockets and Mackay Meteors since that first up loss while the Caps backed up that first win by downing the North Gold Coast Seahawks before falling to Logan Thunder.

There wasn’t necessarily any revenge to get for the Capitals on the Spartans given their entire starting five are new to the club for 2026, but that didn’t stop them delivering quite the statement performance to romp to the eventual 24-point victory.

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The Caps led by as much as 28 points on the back of 16 second chance points to 10, 21 fast break points to 15, 56 points in the paint to 40 along with shooting 47 per cent from the field to the 38 from the Spartans along with pulling down 20 offensive rebounds and having just nine turnovers.

It was quite the statement performance against the defending champions on their home floor from the Capitals with Jarred Bairstow showing the way with his triple double made up of 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds with 9/18 shooting from the field and 7/9 at the foul line.

Ben Volkman also delivered 20 points and nine rebounds for the Caps, Brendan Teys 17 points and four boards with 3/5 three-point shooting, and Kai Woodfall 14 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals with 3/7 shooting from downtown.

Geordan Papacostas also provided the Capitals with 19 points and 12 rebounds with 7/13 shooting from the floor and 5/6 at the free-throw line.

Last year's Grand Final MVP Tamuri Wigness produced another 25 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks despite the loss for Southern Districts.

Max Kerle added 13 points, five rebounds and two assists for the Spartans, Isaih Tueta 11 points and two assists, Darcy Ryder eight points and three rebounds, and Ben Hastings eight points, three boards and two assists.

It was the second time already across the fist three weeks of the season that the two Grand Final teams from last year had met with the Capitals winning that Round 1 match up, and then racing out of the blocks again with the first 11 points of the contest.

It took almost five minutes for Southern Districts to score and by quarter-time the Caps remained in control leading 24-10 on the back of shooting 9/25 from the field opposed to the 2/20 from the Spartans.

Southern Districts also had six turnovers in the first quarter with the Caps' pressure making life tough for them and Brisbane retained control further with another 27 points to 19 in the second term.

That meant the Capitals were leading 51-29 by the half-time interval and Jarred Bairstow was showing the way for the visitors with 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Southern Districts did try to close the gap in the third term but by three quarter-time had only closed the deficit to 19 points before both teams delivered monster final periods.

The Caps went on to put up another 38 points on 14/26 shooting from the field and 4/10 from deep on the way to winning by 24 points while the Spartans did have 33 themselves on 14/23 shooting along with 3/7 from behind the three-point line.

The Spartans will try to hit back on Friday night against the South West Metro Pirates while the Capitals remain on the road next Saturday against the Mackay Meteors before facing the Rockhampton Rockets on Sunday.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 3

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 85 (Wigness 25, Kerle 13, Tueta 11)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 109 (Bairstow 26, Volkman 20, Teys 17)