North Spotlight | McDowell-White sisters star in big win

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Hayley McDowell-White put up 38 points including 25 in the second half while Jess McDowell-White nearly had another triple double in a big 96-74 road win for the Southern Districts Spartans against the Sunshine Coast Phoenix.

Both teams arrived at Maroochydore Stadium in winning form with the Phoenix knocking on the door of the top six having won their past two while the Spartans remained in fourth place after beating the Ipswich Force.

After Sunshine Coast were up three at quarter-time, Southern Districts took control with 29 points to 15 in the second quarter, 25 to 21 in the third and 24 to 17 in the fourth on the way to the eventual 22-point win.

The victory improves Southern Districts to a 10-4 record on the season to remain solid in a top four position while Sunshine Coast remain outside the top six at 6-6.

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It was a dominant display after quarter-time from Southern Districts with them ending up going 16/32 from three-point territory to just 7/25 from Sunshine Coast along with shooting overall 50 per cent to the 39 from the Phoenix.

Hayley McDowell-White already had 13 points with four triples by half-time but then put up another 25 points in the second to end the night with 38 with 7/11 three-point shooting.

Jess McDowell-White also only just missed a triple double ending up with 15 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds and three steals with the 4/9 three-point shooting.

Mikayla Cocking added 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, Emily Preston eight points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, and Paige Bayliss seven points, five boards and two assists.

Erin Bollmann had another standout performance despite the result for Sunshine Coast with 28 points, eight rebounds and three steals with 10/18 field goal shooting and going 6/8 from the foul line.

Isabel Palmer added 21 points, five rebounds and five assists, Maya Price nine points, seven boards and four assists, and Kayla Mathews eight points.

Both teams brought winning form into the match up and it was Southern Districts who opened up an early seven-point lead only to see the Phoenix respond with an 8-0 run to be leading narrowly 21-18 by quarter-time.

Southern Districts then took back control in the second quarter with 29 points to 15 on the back of another 5/8 three-point shooting performance to be going 9/16 by half-time to be leading 47-36.

That was with both Hayley and Jess McDowell-White having 13 points each with a combined 7/12 three-point shooting display while Sunshine Coast were only going at 38 per cent from the field for the half while having six turnovers.

The Spartans then maintained their control throughout the second half with another 25 points to 21 in the third period, and 24 to 17 in the fourth on the way to the 22-point victory to be knocking down the door for third position.

Sunshine Coast will attempt to bounce back on Friday night away to the Brisbane Capitals with the Spartans to play host to the Cairns Dolphins on Friday as well.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 11

SUNSHINE COAST PHOENIX 74 (Bollmann 28, Palmer 21, Price 9)

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS SPARTANS 96 (H McDowell-White 38, Cowling 20, J McDowell-White 15)