North Spotlight | Gold Coast unleash firepower in huge win

Featured image: @catchnkissphotography - Denise Saba

The Gold Coast Rollers put up 130 points with 17 three-pointers with 39 assists with Preston Le Gassick having 21 of those with 25 points while Jensen Bradtke scored 36 in the 130-94-win over the Rockhampton Rockets.

Gold Coast were back home at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium having won their past five matches with Rockhampton arriving in the first half of their double on the road.

The Rollers set the tone with 34 points in the first quarter before piling on another 27 in the second, 34 in the third and 35 in the fourth on the way to the 36-point win to make it six in-a-row to improve to 6-1.

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Gold Coast ended up shooting 59 per cent from the field along with a scorching 17/28 from behind the arc and it could have been more had they not shot a paltry 11/23 at the foul line.

It was a spectacular offensive night from Gold Coast with Jensen Bradtke showing the way with 36 points and 10 rebounds on 14/21 from three-point territory and 5/6 from three-point range.

It was far from a one-man show too and New Zealand Breakers NBL signing Preston Le Gassick dished out 21 assists to go with 25 points, six steals and five rebounds with 5/10 three-point shooting.

James Whitt also had another 23 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, Boston Mazlin 19 points and seven assists with 5/6 three-point shooting, and Brodie McGregor 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Jalen Graham continued his strong form for Rockhampton with another 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks for Rockhampton on 10/14 shooting.

Isaac Ayoubi also provided 20 points, two rebounds and two assists, Treauhn Williams 18 points and nine boards, Keahn Tuakura 15 points and six rebounds, Junior Madut eight points, six rebounds and five assists.

The Rollers came into the clash at home on a five-game winning streak but it was the visiting Rockets who started the better with an early eight-point lead before Gold Coast responded with a 9-0 scoring run.

It was an enterprising first quarter from both teams as they combined for 65 points with Gold Coast leading 34-31 by quarter-time.

The Rollers delivered another 27 points in the second quarter too on the way to leading 61-48 by half-time with Jensen Bradtke up too 20 points already while James Whitt, Brodie McGregor and Preston Le Gassick were all in double figures with the latter also having nine assists.

Rockhampton were shooting 55 per cent from the field similar to Gold Coast but the Rollers were going 10/16 from beyond the arc and 7/14 from the free-throw line to the 3/14 and 3/6 for the Rockets.

The Rollers put up another 34 points to 21 in the third quarter with the lead growing to 27 points, and then it got out to 37 in the fourth on the back of another 35 to 25 as they racked up 130 for the night to win by 36.

Gold Coast will look to keep their winning going on the road next weekend to Townsville and Cairns while Rockhampton back up quickly on Sunday to take on the North Gold Coast Seahawks.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 6

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 130 (Bradtke 36, Le Gassick 25, Whitt 23)

ROCKHAMPTON ROCKETS 94 (Graham 22, Ayoubi 20, Williams 18)