North Spotlight | Dolphins win big to stay clear on top

Featured image: Cairns Basketball

Mia Loyd had another standout performance to just miss a triple double while Summah Evans hit five three-pointers for 25 points in the Cairns Dolphins thumping 99-52 home NBL1 North win over the Ipswich Force.

Despite last Friday night's loss to Townsville, Cairns remained in top spot ahead of hosting Ipswich on Friday night at Trinity Ford Stadium to open Round 11.

The Dolphins then already head a 16-point lead in the first quarter and were still leading by that margin at the half before having 27 points to 13 in the third frame, and 24 to seven in the fourth.

That saw Cairns go on and win by 47 points to improve to an 11-1 record to stay clear in first place while Ipswich are now 2-10 having lost seven in-a-row.

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It was a scorchingly efficient offensive display from Cairns shooting at 58 per cent from the field with 8/19 from downtown and 15/22 at the free-throw line while having just the nine turnovers opposed to the 21 assists to improve to the 11-1 record.

Mia Loyd had another huge performance for Cairns to only narrowly miss the triple double with 26 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds with 10/17 shooting from the field and 6/7 at the free-throw line.

Summah Evans also had 25 points and nine rebounds with 5/10 three-point shooting with Teyla Evans contributing 13 points, four boards, three assists and two steals, and Leichan Williams 13 points and four rebounds.

It was a tough night especially in the second half for Ipswich to start their road double and the Force finishing up shooting 36 per cent from the floor, 3/23 from behind the arc and 9/18 at the free-throw line to go with having 16 turnovers and just the four offensive rebounds.

Valerie Huerta ended up top scoring for Ipswich with 14 points, three assists and two rebounds with Stacie Jones contributing 10 points and five boards, and Olivia West eight points, three assists and two rebounds.

The Dolphins were back home needing to keep winning to say in top spot while Ipswich started their double in the Far North just trying to stop their losing slide.

By the end of the first quarter, Cairns had taken control of the contest on the back of a 14-0 scoring run to lead by as much as 16 and to be on top 28-14 by quarter-time.

It was another 20 points to 18 in the first quarter in favour of Cairns for the home team to be leading 48-32 at the half on the back of 17 points from Summah Evans while Mia Loyd had 12 points, six assists and four rebounds.

The Dolphins were shooting 54 per cent from the field to 46 while also getting up seven extra shots on the back of pulling down five offensive rebounds to two, and having just three turnovers to the 10 from Ipswich.

Cairns further dominated in the third quarter with 27 points to 13 on the back of shooting 10/15 from the field while the Force managed to only go 5/14 with the Dolphins leading 75-45 by three quarter-time as a result.

The Dolphins then dominated further with 24 points to seven in the last term with 9/15 shooting again to just 2/14 from the Force as the home team retained top spot with the 47-point victory.

Cairns have until next Friday night when they take on the Southern Districts to start a road double that continues on Saturday against the North Gold Coast Seahawks.

Ipswich back up in Far North Queensland on Saturday night now against the Townsville Flames.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 11

CAIRNS DOLPHINS 99 (Loyd 26, S Evans 25, Williams 13, T Evans 13)

IPSWICH FORCE 52 (Huerta 14, Jones 10, West 8)