North Spotlight | Rollers blow away Pirates in second half

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The Gold Coast Rollers once again unleashed their significant firepower with 67 points in the second half for the 126-86 win over the South West Metro Pirates to stay clear in second in the NBL1 North.

It was a Friday night match up at Hibiscus Spors Stadium with the Pirates always up against it to try and stick with the high-powered Rollers now without Flynn Cameron following his four-game stint where they won all of them.

Even with Gold Coast scoring 59 points in the first half, South West Metro were staying in touch down 13 at the half but the Rollers just kept on with their scintillating offence through the second half.

Gold Coast had another 26 points to 21 in the third quarter and 41 to 19 in the second to end up outscoring South West Metro 67-40 in the second half with 24/40 shooting from the field and 7/12 from deep for the eventual 40-point triumph.

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It was a big challenge for the Pirates to not get blown away by the Rollers but the 67 points in the second half from Gold Coast meant they couldn’t stop the tide.

Gold Coast ended up shooting 54 per cent or the game with 15/29 from downtown and 21/26 at the foul line while collecting 15 offensive rebounds to 13, and forcing the Pirates into 21 turnovers.

South West Metro also finished up shooting 45 per cent for the night with 12/29 from beyond the arc and then just 4/6 at the free-throw line.

Boston Mazlin knocked down another 4/6 from three-point territory for the Rollers with 27 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals while Preston Le Gassick contributed 25 points, three boards, three assists and two steals with 4/8 long-range shooting.

Jensen Bradtke added 19 points, six rebounds, six assists and two blocks, James Whitt 17 points, eight assists, five boards, three steals and two blocks, and Ashley McGrath 14 points with 4/7 shooting from downtown.

Harrison Hubert finished with 18 points and two assists on 8/12 field goal shooting for South West Metro with Dominique Keyes adding 14 points, seven boards and four assists, and playing-coach Darryl McDowell-White Jr 13 points, four rebounds, there assists and three steals.

Louis Jones also had 11 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Tyrell Mason 11 points, five boards and two assists.

It was a chance of the Pirates to claim a scalp without Flynn Cameron but it was a daunting task against the high-powered Gold Coast and the Rollers did put up 30 points on 55 per cent shooting in the first quarter.

South West Metro were staying in touch, though, with 25 points themselves on 45 per cent shooting while making all three of their attempts from downtown.

Gold Coast then put up another 29 points in the second quarter with 10/23 shooting and 6/6 at the foul line while the Pirates managed just the 21 points with 9/18 shooting.

But the Rollers were also winning the possession game on the back of 10 offensive rebounds and forcing South West Metro into eight turnovers while Preston Le Gassick had 14 points, Boston Mazlin 14 and Jensen Bradtke 13.

Gold Coast then had another 26 points to 21 in the third quarter to lead 85-67 by three quarter-time and then it was further dominating from the Rollers with 41 to 19 in the final term.

That saw Gold Coast shoot 15/21 from the field and 3/5 from beyond the arc to turn that 18-point lead to 40 by the final buzzer away from home.

Gold Coast back up on Saturday when they play host to the North Gold Coast Seahawks while the Pirates have just one match left in their season and that's next Saturday at home to the Mackay Meteors.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

SOUTH WEST METRO PIRATES 86 (Huber 18, Keyes 14, McDowell-White 13)

GOLD COAST ROLLERS 126 (Mazlin 27, Le Gassick 25, Bradtke 19)