North Spotlight | Caps run over the top of Wizards

Featured image: @jadeglasson.photography

Despite the best efforts of Quintin Dove and Tyler Williams, the Brisbane Capitals produced a big final quarter to overcome the Northside Wizards for the 100-88 home NBL1 North victory on Friday night.

The Capitals were back home at Auchenflower Stadium and had to do it without Kai Woodfall for the night as they hosted a Wizards team having won just one of four games in 2026, but having enough weapons to keep things interesting.

Then even after opening up a double figure lead in the first quarter, the Caps were only leading the Wizards by two points at half-time and one at three quarter-time.

But Brisbane were then table to take over with 30 points to 19 in the last quarter to secure the 12-point victory to improve to a 5-3 record with Northside now 1-4.

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There wasn’t a whole lot that separated the teams and the Wizards did plenty right to get to the foul line 29 times and to have just seven turnovers but the Caps did end up shooting the ball better and made up for their 16 turnovers with the 17 offensive rebounds.

Ahead of playing for the Australian Gangurrus at the World Cup next week, Jarred Bairstow continued his outstanding form for Brisbane with another 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

Brendan Teys added 17 points, four assists and three rebounds, Chuatwech Reath 14 points and two assists, Geordan Papacostas 17 points, five rebounds and three assists, and Kai Bloom eight points, three boards and two assists.

The Wizards import duo of Tyler Williams and Quintin Dove did all they could to try and keep their team in the contest.

Williams finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists with Dove delivering 26 points, eight boards and two assists with the pair combining to go 14/16 from the foul line.

Durrell McDonald added 13 points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists for the Wizards, and Jed Richardson 10 points, seven boards, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

The Capitals might have been without Kai Woodfall but still made a strong start at home opening up a 10-point lead in the first quarter and still leading 28-21 by quarter-time.

Jarred Bairstow and Geordan Papacostas both already had nine points each by quarter-time for Brisbane while they were shooting 52 per cent as a team to go with nine offensive rebounds with the Wizards shooting just 37 per cent and having the five o-boards.

Northside worked back into the contest in the second quarter and not only that, even hit the front after completing a 9-0 scoring run.

Brisbane managed to respond to be narrowly leading 51-49 by half-time with Bairstow and Papacostas combining for 27 points but Tyler Williams and Quintin Dove were going for 34 for the Wizards up the other end.

Northside had taken 16 free-throw attempts to 10 to help their cause while Brisbane had pulled down 15 offensive rebounds to six by half-time.

Things remained tight in the third term with both teams having their turns of a four-point lead, but then the Capitals flexed their muscles in the final period with 30 points to 19 on the way to securing the 12-pont victory.

The Caps now don't play again until hosting the South West Metro Pirates next Saturday night while the Wizards back up on Saturday when they host the defending champion Southern Districts Spartans.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 6

BRISBANE CAPITALS 100 (Bairstow 21, Papacostas 17, Teys 17)

NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 88 (Dove 26, Williams 26, McDonald 13)