North Spotlight | Caps win stunning GF rematch in OT

Featured image: @simons_sportpics

Tamuri Wigness was on track to start NBL1 North championship defence for Southern Districts Spartans in style before the Brisbane Capitals produced a stunning fightback to end up winning 113-107 in overtime with Kai Woodfall hitting nine triples.

It was the ideal way to start the new season with the Spartans celebrating their championship triumph last year on their home floor at Rowland Cowan Stadium.

They were taking on the team they beat in that series too and Southern Districts were in control for a lot of the contest with Wigness outstanding leading by as much as 13 points and still by seven with just over two minutes to play.

But the Caps didn’t want more pain inflicted on them by the Spartans on the same floor and they kept shooting, and making plays, and eventually were rewarded by taking over in overtime to secure the six-point victory.

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

Brisbane pulled down 27 offensive rebounds for 20 second chance points to help them overcome 22 turnovers and still secure the win with 14/43 three-point shooting and even struggling at the foul line going just 23/46.

Kai Woodfall ended up going 9/12 from behind the arc for 33 points, eight assists and five rebounds even if the rest of the team went 5/31 including Chuatwech Reath 2/11.

However, he made a huge one when it counted on his way to 17 points and six rebounds with Geordan Papacostas adding 17 points and 10 boards, Yohana Wal 17 points and 10 rebounds, Jarred Bairstow 15 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists, and Ben Volkman 10 points, five boards and two assists.

Southern Districts will be kicking themselves for not closing the deal in regulation but they did take five fewer field goals and 20 less free throws while going just 6/24 from three-point land.

Wigness ended up with 33 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and two steals for the Spartans with Ben Hastings adding 18 points on 6/8 shooting with 5/5 at the foul line.

Isaih Tueta also had 14 points and four assists, Max Kerle 13 points, Griffin Biwer 10 points, eight rebounds and four steals, and Andre Ugrinic nine points, five boards and four assists.

On the back of celebrating last season's championship triumph, Southern Districts wasted no time making a fast start against the same opponents on their home floor.

By quarter-time, they were leading 32-24 having led by nine along the way with 20 points to 10 in the paint, and getting out to run with the only five fast break points in that first 10 minutes.

That lead for the Spartans got out to 12 in the second period with Tamuri Wigness picking right up where he left off to lead his team to last season's championship.

He had 17 points and seven assists already to half-time but the Caps were staying in touch and had limited the Southern Districts lead to just 54-50.

Kai Woodfall had 21 points already with six three-pointers for Brisbane even with the rest of his team shooting just 1/13 from behind the arc.

Wigness added another seven points and three assists in the third quarter with the Spartans maintaining a six-point lead by three quarter-time, and even through most of the fourth period they appeared on track for the season-opening win.

The Spartans were still up seven with just over two minutes to play but Chuatwech Reath hitting a big three to make it a three-point game not long after, and ultimately he got the scores level at the line and that got the game to overtime when the Caps forced a turnover on Isaih Tueta on the last possession.

Brisbane opened up overtime with a triple from Geordan Papacostas but it wasn’t until Woodfall knocked down another with 1:15 to play that saw the Caps go up three, and then from there maintain their advantage to score the six-point stunning comeback overtime win.

The Spartans now hit the road on Friday night to take on the Rockhampton Rockets before backing up on Anzac Day against the Mackay Meteors while the Caps will host the North Gold Coast Seahawks on Friday evening before an away Anzac Day clash to the Logan Thunder.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 1

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 107 (Wigness 33, Hastings 18, Tueta 14)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 113 (Woodfall 33, Wal 17, Papacostas 17, Reath 17)