North Spotlight | Loyd ensures Dolphins stay unbeaten

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Mia Loyd just missed another triple double but had a huge night as the Cairns Dolphins continued their hot start to the NBL1 North season remaining unbeaten with the 92-67 home win over the Townsville Flames.

The Dolphins were back home at Trinity Ford Stadium having won their opening four matches of the season including back in the opener in Townsville against the Flames by 32 points.

But the Flames have Courtney Woods and coach Shannon Seebohm back together since then and arrived on the back of a win against the South West Metro Pirates in their only appearance since that season-opener.

Cairns shot out of the blocks on their home floor with a 16-3 start and never looked back from there even though Townsville did come from 22 points down to be back within nine at three quarter-time.

But the Dolphins took charge again with 30 points to 14 in the last quarter to win by 25 and improve to a perfect 5-0 on the season with the Flames now 1-2.

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Cairns ended up shooting 51 per cent from the field to 33 from Townsville for the game which ultimately was where the major difference was.

It was a fifth straight commanding performance to open the season for Cairns with Mia Loyd only just missing out on another triple double with 27 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists with shooting 12/18 from the floor.

Brooke Basham had another 18 points, seven rebounds and two assists with Leichan Williams contributing 15 points and three boards, Teyla Evans nine points and seven rebounds, and Summah Evans eight points and three boards.

Courtney Woods did all she could to keep Townsville in the contest finishing with 36 points, 11 rebounds, five assist and four steals on 11/24 field goal shooting, 4/10 shooting from deep and going 10/13 at the foul line.

The rest of her team only managed 31 points, though, with 12/46 shooting from the floor, 4/30 from deep and 3/7 at the foul line with 28 rebounds and seven assists.

Mia Murray did knock down three of those other four three-pointers for nine points and three assists with Shaylee Browning contributing seven points and six rebounds, and Chailee Ward seven points, two boards and two assists.

Cairns were looking to continue their unbeaten start to the season and raced out to the 16-3 opening to the contest inside the first three and-a-half minutes.

The Dolphins from there went on to lead 31-13 by quarter-time on the back of 62 per cent shooting to just 22 from the Flames with Townsville also going 2/12 from three-point territory in that opening 10 minutes.

Mia Loyd made a strong start already having 10 points, four assists and two rebounds to her name before the Cairns advantage got out to as much as 22 in the second frame.

The Dolphins were still up 47-32 by half-time with Loyd up to 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds while Leichan Williams had scored 12 points while as a team they were still shooting 54 per cent to 34 from the Flames.

Townsville would then go on to miss all eight three-point attempts in the third quarter to be up to 5/29, but they did manage to work back into the contest and get the margin back to nine at three quarter-time thanks to a buzzer-beater from Chailee Ward.

Cairns took back control in the final quarter, though, and outscored Townsville 30 points to 14 on the way to winning by 25 and remaining perfect to start the season after five matches.

The Dolphins now have the bye next weekend and don't play again until hosting the Mackay Meteorettes on Saturday May 23 while Townsville have a double-header road trip next weekend against the Sunshine Coast Phoenix and Northside Wizards.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 4

CAIRNS DOLPHINS 92 (Loyd 27, Basham 18, L Williams 15)

TOWNSVILLE FLAMES 67 (Woods 36, Murray 9, Ward 7, Browning 7)