North Spotlight | Gold Coast set up top battle with Cairns

The Gold Coast Rollers have set up nicely their battle for NBL1 North top spot against the Cairns Marlins with another six players scoring in double-figures in their 110-83 Friday night win against the Townsville Heat.

Gold Coast arrived at Carmichael Ford Stadium having won their past six games with an average winning margin of 19 points while putting up 113.8 points per game.

That meant Townsville were in for quite a test even on their home floor and after a tight battle in the first quarter, Gold Coast flexed their muscles with 38 points in the second quarter on 13/17 shooting.

They had another 30 points with 10/21 shooting in the third term on the way to building a 29-point lead on the way to scoring the seventh straight win to improve to 7-0 ahead of facing the unbeaten Cairns on Saturday.

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Gold Coast ended the night shooting 51 per cent from the field and 12/30 from three-point range opposed to the 35 per cent from Townsville with 6/30 from downtown.

The firepower Gold Coast possess was once again on display with six players scoring in double figures and they were all between 11 and 24 points in the 27-point victory.

Preston Le Gassick was the top scorer with those 24 points to go with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals as he gears up for a first NBL season at the New Zealand Breakers.

Jensen Bradtke also delivered another 18 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots with James Whitt providing 17 points, seven assists, four boards, three steals and two blocks, and Ashley McGrath 15 points with 4/7 three-point shooting.

Brodie McGregor also had 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks, and Boston Mazlin 11 points and five assists.

Richard Peachey finished with 19 pints and four rebounds in the loss for Townsville with Ethan Betts adding 19 points, five boards and three assists, and Steven Richardson Jr 12 points and six rebounds.

Nathan Pollard Jr also had 10 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Declan Condon 10 points and nine boards.

The Heat were back home and trying to get back on the winner's list but it was never going to be easy against a red hot Gold Coast outfit, but Townsville did start well for an early five-point advantage.

Gold Coast soon turned that around with an 11-0 run and by quarter-time held the 23-17 advantage on the back of shooting 7/16 to 7/24 from Townsville while taking 10 free-throw attempts to just two.

The Rollers then once again unleashed their firepower in the second frame with 38 points on the back of shooting 13/17 from the field along with 3/5 from behind the arc and 9/12 at the free-throw line.

Even though Townsville did still score 25 points themselves, Gold Coast were well in control leading 61-42 by half-time with Jensen Bradtke up to 14 points while James Whitt had 13.

It was another 30 points to 20 in the third period for the Rollers for the lead to get out to 91-62 by three quarter-time with Whitt adding another six points and then Preston Le Gassick was up to 17 points and five assists.

From there the Rollers cruised to the 27-point victory to make it seven straight wins to start their road double in perfect fashion.

Townsville now have a road double next weekend to the Brisbane Capitals and Southern Districts Spartans while Gold Coast back up on the road to the unbeaten Cairns Marlins on Saturday night.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | HERITAGE ROUND

TOWNSVILLE HEAT 83 (Betts 19, Peachey 19, Richardson Jr 12)

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 110 (Le Gassick 24, Bradtke 18, Whitt 17)