North Spotlight | Logan big three hand Caps first loss

Featured image: @catchnkissphotography - Denise Saba

Triple NBL champion Shaun Bruce had a huge triple-double as Zac Triplett and Cal Dalton both played starring roles as Logan Thunder handed the Brisbane Capitals a first loss of the NBL1 North season with the 93-83 Anzac Day win.

Both teams have made strong starts to the 2026 season with new-look teams with Logan hammering the Gold Coast Rollers by 27 points last week while Brisbane beat the Southern Districts Spartans in a thrilling overtime Grand Final rematch, and backed it up at home on Friday beating the North Gold Coast Seahawks.

That set up the Anzac Day clash at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre and the Thunder were on top most of the way including by 19 early in the third quarter.

But the Caps fired back with an 18-2 run to get back within three, but Logan pulled away again on the way to the eventual 10-point victory.

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Logan are now 2-0 to start the season and Shaun Bruce has come back to the Thunder in 2026 and preparing for a new NBL home for the upcoming season a man on a mission.

He produced a monster triple-double made up of 22 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds while playing all but 1:10 of the game.

Zac Triplett is his back court partner and delivered 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists while fresh off being an injury replacement player at the Bullets again in NBL26, Cal Dalton provided 17 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

Hunter Marks added 10 points, six rebounds and two assists for Logan, and Tom Howard eight points and six boards.

The Capitals couldn’t quite make it three straight wins to start the season but given how new their squad is to playing together, being 2-1 has been a more than positive start over the first two rounds.

Jarred Bairstow threatened a triple-double and finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while Kai Woodfall continued his hot start to life with the Caps hitting another 3/7 from behind the arc for 15 points and four assists with 6/6 free-throw shooting.

Brendan Teys also delivered 13 points and six rebounds, Ben Volkman nine points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks, and Geordan Papacostas 11 points, six boards and three assists.

Both teams have started the NBL1 North season in impressive fashion and they played out a fascinating first quarter with Logan opening up a nine-point lead thanks 16 points in the paint but that advantage was back to just 25-20 by quarter-time thanks to a late Kai Woodfall three ball.

Again the Thunder threatened to open up a double-figure lead in the second frame but never could quite do so despite doing well to get out and run with 13 fast break points, and 21 to zero in that category across the first half.

Logan then scored the first nine points of the third quarter to be in total control but Brisbane dug deep to go on an 18-2 run and suddenly it was back to a three-point ball game in just a matter of minutes.

By three quarter-time the Thunder had got back out to an eight-point lead and they were back up 15 in the fourth on the way to securing the eventual 10-point victory to make it a 2-0 start to the season and to hand the Capitals a first defeat in a third hit out.

Logan will remain at home to host the Mackay Meteors on Friday night while Brisbane remain on the road to take on the Southern Districts Spartans in a Grand Final rematch again on Saturday night.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ANZAC ROUND

LOGAN THUNDER 93 (Triplett 22, Bruce 22, Dalton 17)

BRISBANE CAPITALS 83 (Bairstow 22, Woodfall 15, Teys 13)