North Spotlight | Cyclones end triple header with a win

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Remarkably it was a third straight five-point result for the Rockhampton Cyclones for this NBL1 North road triple header weekend and this time they were on the winning end with the 79-74 win over the Ipswich Force.

The Cyclones arrived at Ipswich Basketball Stadium on Sunday having lost their previous two road games this weekend both by five points to the South West Metro Pirates and Logan Thudner.

Ipswich were also coming off a 17-point the night before away to the North Gold Coast Seahawks but once Rockhampton took over in the first quarter with a 10-0 run, they remained on top most of the way.

That included the Cyclones leading by as much as 15 points in the third quarter and then completing the job on the five-point victory over the Force to improve to a 2-8 record while Ipswich are now 2-7 with the pair of losses this weekend.

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Despite playing their third game of the weekend, Rockhampton won thanks to being on top in the effort areas with 17 offensive rebounds highlighting that to just six from Ipswich for them to end up taking four extra shots and six more free throws for the game.

Rockhampton will be relieved to head home with a win from their weekend with the five-point victory after back-to-back five-point defeats with Emily Kiser delivering 24 points, 17 rebounds and three assists including seven offensive boards.

Shanique Lucas added 24 points, four rebounds and three assists, Gracie Stugart 17 points, 12 boards, six assists and two steals, and Akaysha Muggeridge nine points, three rebounds and two assists.

Ipswich fell to a second loss of the weekend with Georgia Ralph finishing with 17 points, four rebounds and two assists with Natasha Elliott contributing 17 points, 11 boards, two assists and two steals.

Hannah Young also finished with 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists, Charlotte Hegvold 11 points on 4/4 shooting, and Valerie Huerta eight points and six assists.

Rockhampton arrived at Ipswich Basketball Stadium looking to head home on a winning note to wrap up their road triple while Ipswich were trying to bounce back from the previous night's loss to the North Gold Coast Seahawks.

The Cyclones weren’t showing any signs of fatigue early going on a 10-0 run in the first quarter to open up a five-point lead on the way to going into quarter-time on top 21-17.

Rockhampton pulled down eight offensive rebounds to overcome their 8/23 shooting while Shanique Lucas already scoring seven points while Georgia Ralph had eight of the 17 for Ipswich.

That lead for the Cyclones got out to 10 points in the second period and that's where it remained by half-time with Rockhampton on top 40-30 thanks to 12 offensive rebounds to four and with Lucas scoring 14 points, Emily Kiser 11 and Gracie Stugart nine with six rebounds and four assists.

Ralph had 12 of the 30 points by half-time for the home team.

Ipswich did manage to score nine straight points in the third quarter and did force Rockhampton into five turnovers, but still Rockhampton were leading 55-49 by three quarter-time.

The Cyclones still held out the Force in the finish despite their understandably weary legs for the eventual five-point victory to return home 1-2 from the weekend with all three remarkably five-point results.

Ipswich will now attempt to hit back next Sunday at home to the Northside Wizards while Rockhampton return home for the next four games starting on Friday night against the Cairns Dolphins.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 8

IPSWICH FORCE 74 (Elliott 17, Ralph 17, Young 13)

ROCKHAMPTON CYCLONES 79 (Lucas 24, Kiser 24, Stugart 17)