North Spotlight | Logan beat Cairns to shoot clear

Featured image: P2DK Photography - @p2dk_photography

It was the battle of the top two NBL1 North teams but Logan Thunder proved too strong with Leah Scott showing the way as they beat the Cairns Dolphins 91-83 despite the home team getting 30 points from the returning Brooke Basham.

Top spot in the NBL1 North went on the line at Trinity Ford Stadium with Logan arriving for their Far North Queensland double on a 10-game winning steak with Cairns having lost two of the last five after starting 2026 winning nine straight.

Logan were able to lead most of the way and then opened up a 16-point advantage in the fourth quarter before securing the eight-point victory on the road to make it 11 on the trot.

The result improves the Thunder to a 13-1 record to be clear in top spot now ahead of the Dolphins who are 12-3.

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Logan proved too strong in the battle of the top two teams despite Cairns finishing up shooting 45 per cent from the field to their 40.

But the Thunder went 24/27 at the foul line by the end of the game to the 7/12 from the Dolphins along with collecting 17 offensive rebounds to 13, and forcing the home team into 21 turnovers.

Leah Scott continued her standout season with Logan by delivering another 28 points, 12 rebounds and two assists with 13/15 free-throw shooting.

Prasayus Notoa also ended up with 21 points, 18 rebounds and two assists, Maddy Allen 14 points, six assists and four steals on 4/12 three-point shooting, Maddy Reisinger 10 points and three rebounds, and Mikhaela Cann nine points, seven assists and five boards.

It's three losses in the last six games now for Cairns despite Brooke Basham returning and producing 30 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Summah Evans also had 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and two assists, Mia Loyd 16 points, eight boards, seven assists and two steals, and Leichan Williams 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Cairns had surrendered top spot to Logan prior to their Friday night match up but that first place was on the line at Trinity Ford Stadium with the Thunder going into quarter-time clinging to the 25-24 advantage.

Both teams were shooting at 50 per cent from the field in a high quality start with Cairns pulling down five offensive rebounds but cancelling out that good work by having eight turnovers in the opening 10 minutes.

Logan did work on top in the second term with 21 points to 15 on the way to leading 46-39 by half-time with Prasayus Notoa having 14 points and eight rebounds, and Leah Scott 11 points and six boards.

Leichan Williams had 13 points and seven rebounds for Cairns but the big difference came with the 13 first half turnovers the Dolphins gave up.

The Thunder then extended their advantage to 67-59 by three quarter-time on the back 10 points in the third frame from Scott while Cairns gave up another five turnovers to allow Logan to continue to control the possession game.

The lead for Logan got out to 16 points early in the fourth quarter and while the Dolphins did their best to mount a fightback, it wasn’t to be with the Thunder moving further clear in top spot with the 11th straight victory.

The Dolphins have to wait until next Friday night also at home to the Rockhampton Cyclones to try and rebound while Logan back up on Saturday still in Far North Queensland against the Townsville Flames.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

CAIRNS DOLPHINS 83 (Basham 30, Summer Evans 19, Loyd 16)

LOGAN THUNDER 91 (Scott 28, Notoa 21, Allen 14)