North Spotlight | Flynn lifts Pirates to second win

Featured image: @shoot_nhoops

Adelaide 36ers NBL star Flynn Cameron inspired the South West Metro Pirates to a first NBL1 North win last week and he backed up with another 31 points to make it back-to-back wins beating the Sunshine Coast Phoenix 102-92.

The Pirates were back home at Hibiscus Sports Stadium coming off a breakthrough win last Saturday night against the Rockhampton Rockets while Sunshine Coast arrive in hot form having won their past five matches.

Sunshine Coast did open up an early eight-point lead but South West Metro had drawn back level by quarter-time before taking over to lead by 10 at half-time and then maintain that advantage through the second half.

The Pirates ended up securing the 10-point victory to make it consecutive wins to improve to a 2-8 record while the Phoenix's five-game winning run came to an end with them now sitting at 7-3.

>> NORTH SPOTLIGHT | ROLLERS PUT ON A SHOW WITH 136 POINTS

>> NORTH WRAP | MEN'S ROUND 8

South West Metro ended up shooting 48 per cent from the floor to 38 per cent from Sunshine Coast, and it was that better shooting performance that was the major reason for the end result.

Coming off playing such a key role in the Adelaide 36ers run to be within seconds of winning the NBL26 championship, Flynn Cameron has come back to South West Queensland for a stint at the Pirates.

After starring in their win over Rockhampton last week, he had another 31 points, eight rebounds and four assists with 12/22 field goal shooting along with going 4/12 from downtown, and 3/5 at the foul line.

Dominique Keyes added 18 points and 17 rebounds, Darryl McDowell-White 16 points, nine assists, seven boards and three steals, Louis Jones 11 points and three assists, and Jonas Kowalik nine points and three rebounds.

Darnell Robateau delivered 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds to continue his standout form this season for the Phoenix on 8/14 shooting from the floor and 4/8 from behind the arc.

Luke Anderson top scored with another 29 points and 10 rebounds on 5/8 three-point shooting with Erik Kafritsas contributing 14 points and four steals, Earnest Ross 13 points and 10 rebounds, Liam Switzer six points, seven boards and three blocks, and Jamaal Robateau four points and nine rebounds.

South West Metro were still coming off the high of their first win last week but Sunshine Coast also arrived on a five-game winning streak, and both teams put up 29 points each in the opening quarter.

Playing-coach Darryl McDowell-White already had 14 points in the opening quarter for the Pirates but the Phoenix didn’t have a turnover in the first term and got up 30 shot attempts for their 29 points.

South West Metro then kept up that pace with another 30 points in the second quarter on the back of shooting 12/20 from the field with 5/9 from downtown with Flynn Cameron up to 19 points already in his second appearance with the Pirates.

Sunshine Coast only had the 20 points on 9/19 from the field in the second quarter and did have eight turnovers which allowed the Pirates to open up the 59-49 advantage by half-time.

South West Metro were still leading by 10 points at three quarter-time with Cameron up to 25 points while they did force the Phoenix into another five turnovers.

It was another 21 points apiece in the final quarter with the Pirates completing the deal on the 10-point win to make it consecutive victories after losing the first eight games before Cameron's arrival.

The Pirates will now attempt to make it three straight next Saturday on the road to Logan Thunder while Sunshine Coast will attempt to bounce back that same evening at home to the Brisbane Capitals.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 9

SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 102 (Cameron 31, Keyes 18, McDowell-White 16)

SUNSHINE COAST PHOENIX 92 (Anderson 29, D Robateau 23, Kafritsas 14)