North Spotlight | Pattersons keep Force in sixth spot

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Father-son duo Lamar and Zaiden Patterson combined for 40 points as the Ipswich Force kept themselves in an NBL1 North playoff position with the 91-67 home Sunday win over the North Gold Coast Seahawks.

The Force were making their lone appearance of the weekend hosting the Seahawks at Ipswich Basketball Stadium with the visitors falling to a fourth straight loss the night before against the Gold Coast Rollers.

It didn’t take long for Ipswich to take control with 22 points to seven in the first quarter and to be leading 40-22 by half-time with Lamar Patterson having 21 of those points.

His teenage son Zaiden also finished with nine with three triples as Ipswich cruised to the 24-point victory to stay in sixth position at 8-7 while North Gold Coast remain in last place at 2-13.

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It was a dominant Sunday performance from Ipswich to end up shooting 49 per cent from the field to 36 from North Gold Coast along with 10/33 from the outside to 6/34.

The Force are now 8-7 to stay inside a playoff position as a result with Lamar Patterson producing 31 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks with 11/21 field shooting along with going 4/11 from the outside and 5/6 at the line.

Lachlan Anderson added 16 points, five rebounds and two steals, Will Mahoney 10 points and five rebounds, and Zaiden Patterson nine with 3/5 three-point shooting making the most of his chance to play with his dad.

North Gold Coast remain anchored to bottom spot with the pair of losses this weekend with Sean Murphy top scoring with 26 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals with 3/4 shooting from the outside.

Conor O'Sullivan also had 10 points, nine rebounds and two assists, Jasraj Gill nine points, six boards and two steals, and Charlie Winks six points and two steals.

The Seahawks had a rough start to their road double losing to the Gold Coast Rollers on Saturday by 36 points while the Force were making their only appearance of the weekend and needed to win to remain in the top six.

It was a dominant showing from Ipswich from the outset beginning with 22 points to seven in the first quarter with Lamar Patterson already having 12 points and six rebounds while the Seahawks managed to shot just the 3/16 while having seven turnovers.

Patterson scored another nine points in the second quarter and Ipswich moved to a 40-22 advantage by half-time on shooting 15/37 from the field to the 10/36 from North Gold Coast who also missed all 13 of their attempts from the outside.

It was more of the same in the third quarter too with another 26 points to 16 from Ipswich with Patterson adding another eight points and then Lachlan Anderson also up to 16 by three quarter-time.

The Force went into the fourth quarter leading 66-38 and even with North Gold Coast managing 29 points in the last 10 minutes, Ipswich still cruised to the much-needed 24-point victory.

Ipswich finish their regular season against Logan Thunder on the road on Saturday night with North Gold Coast finishing their campaign next Sunday away to the Northside Wizards.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

IPSWICH FORCE 91 (Patterson 31, Anderson 16, Mahoney 10)

NORTH GOLD COAST SEAHAWKS 67 (Murphy 26, O'Sullivan 10, Gill 9)