North Spotlight | Caps hit back to win in Rockhampton

Featured image: @simons_sportpics

The Brisbane Capitals put the clamps on the Rockhampton Cyclones and then withstood 26 points and 23 rebounds from Emily Kiser to end up splitting their road double this weekend in the NBL1 North with the 68-58 Sunday victory.

The Cyclones lost their first two games of the season to the Mackay Meteorettes and Southern Districts Spartans, but on Sunday played their first game since April 24 when they hosted the Capitals at Bravus Arena.

Meanwhile, the Caps had already played five matches for the season including losing in Mackay on Saturday by 47 points and they started strongly in response on Sunday holding Rockhampton to just eight points in the first quarter and 19 for the opening half.

That set up the Capitals for the eventual 10-point victory as they improve to 2-4 on the season with the Cyclones now winless after their opening three matches.

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It was a tough offensive game for both teams but in the end Brisbane did shoot a little better going 35 per cent opposed to the 36 from Rockhampton which was the major difference in the end result.

Tyla Stolberg ended up top-scoring in the win for Brisbane with 22 points, six rebounds and five steals while shooting 9/18 from the floor and 4/5 at the foul line.

Alyssa Brown also produced 19 points, 16 rebounds and two steals with Ashley Harris contributing nine points, nine boards and two assists.

Emily Kiser had a huge afternoon in a losing effort for Rockhampton finishing with 26 points, 23 rebounds and three steals while playing all but 1:31 of the game.

The rest of her team only managed 32 points on 9/50 shooting and pulled down just the 29 rebounds.

Emily Tweedy did score nine points with two rebounds and two assists while Gracie Stugart contributed eight points, seven assists and five boards, and Akaysha Muggeridge seven points, four rebounds and three steals.

Rockhampton were playing from the first time since April 24 while Brisbane were coming off a road loss in Mackay the night before and the Caps dominated the first quarter.

They might have only scored 15 points themselves on 5/16 shooting and had six turnovers, but they did restrict the Cyclones to eight points on 3/18 with five turnovers as well.

Brisbane continued to control the contest in the second term with another 21 points to 11 to go into half-time leading 36-19 with Tyla Stolberg and Alyssa Brown combining for 23 of their 26 points.

Emily Kiser did have 10 points and 13 rebounds already for Rockhampton, but the rest of her team only had nine points and 15 rebounds with the Cyclones shooting just 6/33 at 18 per cent by half-time along with missing all 13 free-throw attempts.

Rockhampton did manage to get going a little more in the third quarter with 21 points on 7/24 shooting with 4/14 from deep and by three quarter-time Kiser was up to 20 points and 19 rebounds, but the Caps were still on top by 14.

Even with the Cyclones also winning the final quarter 18 points to 14, Brisbane still closed the deal on the 10-point win to end up splitting their weekend double on the road.

The Capitals will now try to make it two straight when they are on the road to the Ipswich Force on Saturday night while Rockhampton remain at home to host the Mackay Meteorettes.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 4

ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 58 (Kiser 26, Tweedy 9, Stugart 8)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 68 (Stolberg 22, Brown 19, Harris 9)