North Spotlight | Phoenix open new season with home win

Featured image: Judd Green 

The Sunshine Coast Phoenix saw off a fast finish and 33 points from Quinton Dove for the Northside Wizards to open the NBL1 North season with the 89-81 home victory on Friday night.

All eyes were on Maroochydore Stadium as the lone venue in operation in opening night of NBL1 North with the Phoenix at home trying to improve on their second round finals exit of 2025.

The Wizards are also looking for vast improvement on a six-win season in 2026 but it was Sunshine Coast on top most of the evening opening up a 21-point lead and then holding on for the season-opening eight-point victory.

There was a lot to like in the win for Sunshine Coast with Luke Anderson delivering 22 points, six rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks on shooting 8/12 from the field and despite missing all four free-throw attempts.

Darnell Robateau had all 16 points of his points in the first half and also ended up with eight rebounds and three assists with Nelson Kahler contributing 16 points and nine boards, DeShawn Ross-Paiwan 14 points, three rebounds and three assists, and Erik Kafritsas 14 points, five boards and five assists.

It wasn’t the start to the season Wizards coach Darryl McDonald was hoping for after what he had to deal with taking over as head coach midway through NBL26 with the Brisbane Bullets.

There was a bright spark, though, with the performance of Quinton Dove who made his NBL1 North debut in style fresh off what his partner, Nes'eya Parker-Wiliams, did earlier for the women.

Dove finished with 33 points and 10 rebounds while only being a -3 in 38 minutes on a team that was down double figures a lot of the night.

Tyler Williams added 18 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals, Durrell McDonald 13 points, five boards, three assists and three steals, and Jed Richardson 11 points and 10 rebounds.

It didn’t take long for Sunshine Coast to take charge of the contest with a 7-0 run in the first quarter and to knockdown 6/9 from three-point range in the opening period.

That saw the home team leading 32-24 by quarter-time with Erik Kafritsas already having 10 points to his name but the Wizards stayed in touch with 13 points from Quinton Dove and by shooting 60 per cent as a team despite having five turnovers.

The Phoenix then continued their momentum and completed a 12-0 scoring run on the way to leading by as much as 21 points in the second quarter as they continued to find the going far too easy for Wizards coach Darryl McDonald who was hoping for a spirit lifter after what he went through in NBL26.

Sunshine Coast went into half-time leading 56-39 on shooting 56 per cent from the field and 8/16 from deep along with taking 13 free throws with Northside only shooting at 43 per cent, going 3/11 from downtown and with just six foul shots.

The Phoenix maintained that advantage through the third quarter to have stretched the lead to 19 by three quarter-time but the Wizards did make things interesting late going on a 7-0 scoring run to get the deficit back to single figures.

They couldn’t quite get close enough to strike, though, with Sunshine Coast holding on for the eight-point season opening win at home.

Sunshine Coast have the double to open the season and will be away to the North Gold Coast Seahawks on Saturday while the Wizards don't play again until hosting the Cairns Marlins on Saturday May 2.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 1

SUNSHINE COAST PHOENIX 89 (Anderson 22, D Robateau 16, Kahler 16)

NORTHSIDE WIZARDS 81 (Dove 33, Williams 18, McDonald 13)