North Spotlight | Mackay dominate second half v Wizards

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The Mackay Meteorettes overcame a 14-point second quarter deficit to dominate the second half with 59 points to 37 to score the 95-85 home win against the Northside Wizards to improve to 7-2 in NBL1 North.

The Meteorettes were back home at Mackay Basketball Stadium having split their road double last weekend with a win against the Townsville Flames but loss to the Cairns Dolphins.

The Wizards arrived on Friday night to start their road double also after a loss to the Southern Districts Spartans with the visitors managing to go on an 11-0 run to open up a 14-point advantage in the second quarter.

Northside were still leading by 12 at half-time but then Mackay ended up taking over with a dominant second half on the way to scoring the 10-point win to improve to a 7-2 record with the Wizards now 3-4 to start their road double in the Tropical Far North.

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The Meteorettes did finish up shooting 52 per cent from the field for the game to 41 from Northside which helped the home team still win despite the nine fewer field goal attempts and while having 16 turnovers.

Mackay had to come from behind before securing the eventual 10-point victory with River Baldwin producing 23 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three assists at an efficient 10/16 shooting while being +23 in her 31 minutes.

Cheyenne Bobongie delivered another 21 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks with 3/4 shooting from downtown while Nikita Muscat contributed 19 points, five boards, three assists and three steals.

Monique Bobongie added 14 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, and Sammie Puisis 14 points, five boards and two steals.

Grace Ellis finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks for Northside with Nes'eya Parker-Williams providing another 20 points, six boards and two assists.

Kahlaijah Dean added 14 points, six assists and five rebounds, Kelsey Ransom 14 points and five boards, and Courtney Virgo six points, five rebounds and four assists.

The Meteorettes were back home and trying to bounce back from their last up loss while the Wizards arrived also fresh off a defeat, and it was a tight battle through the opening term.

By quarter-time, it was the Wizards clinging to the 23-22 advantage with Grace Ellis having nine points to her name the visitors were on top thanks to the 10 free-throw attempts to four, and forcing the Meteorettes into seven turnovers and having six offensive rebounds themselves.

Northside then had all the momentum with an 11-0 run into the second quarter and suddenly they were leading by 14 points, and still by 12 at half-time with Ellis up to 16 points while Cheyenne Bobongie had 12 of the 36 for Mackay.

The Meteorettes then worked right back into the contest in the third term with 26 points to 18 and with X Muscat up to 15 points by three quarter-time as the home team had cut the Northside lead back to just 66-62.

Mackay then kept that momentum going in the last period with another 33 points to 19 to complete the job on the 10-point win on the back of outscoring the Wizards 59 points to 37 in the second half and having come back from a 14-point deficit.

Mackay now don't play again until Friday June 12 when they play host to the North Gold Coast Seahawks with the Wizards backing up on the road in Heritage Round to the Rockhampton Cyclones on Saturday.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | HERITAGE ROUND

MACKAY METEORETTES 95 (Baldwin 23, C Bobongie 21, Muscat 19)

NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 85 (Ellis 25, Parker-Williams 20, Ransom 14, Dean 14)