North Spotlight | Tofaeono fires Flames to big win

The Townsville Flames needed someone to pick up the slack without Courtney Woods and it was Ella Tofaeono who delivered 31 points and 10 rebounds as they started their NBL1 North road double beating the Brisbane Capitals 93-71.

The Flames started their road double on Saturday night at Vince Hickey Stadium without Woods and the 26.8 points, 9.7 assists and 8.5 rebounds that she provides as they took on a Capitals team at home and coming off a win over the South West Metro Pirates.

Tofaeono already had nine points to quarter-time to help Townsville take control to be leading by 12 at quarter-time and 33 at half-time.

Even with Brisbane winning the second half 51 points to 40, the Flames still cruised to the win by 22 to improve to a 5-3 record to start their road double while the Capitals are now 3-7.

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Townsville did end up shooting 50 per cent from the field to 37 from Brisbane while knocking down 14/35 from downtown to 10/34, and 11/22 at the free-throw line to 3/6.

Plenty of Townsville players stepped up in the absence of Courtney Woods but none more so than Ella Tofaeono who produced 31 points and 10 rebounds with 13/16 shooting from the floor.

Chailee Ward added 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, Mia Murray 13 points, five rebounds and two steals on 3/7 three-point shooting, Kate Searle 10 points and three boards, Harriet Carey nine points, six rebounds and four assists, and Jaimee Seebohm pulled down 10 rebounds.

It wasn’t quite the performance the Capitals were hoping for following their last up win but they will be hoping to take some confidence out of their 51-point second half showing.

Chanel Enriquez-Paea top scored with 17 points and two assists with 5/10 three-point shooting while Ashley Harris added 13 points, five boards and two assists, and Rachel Mate 12 points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds.

Alyssa Brown also had 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, Tyla Stolberg six points and three boards, and Jess Reif five points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Townsville came into the match up without superstar Courtney Woods and Brisbane were fresh off a win last week, but the Flames shot out of the blocks with an 11-0 run in the first quarter.

That lead for Townsville got out to 14 points before they went into quarter-time leading 24-12 with Ella Tofaeono picking up the scoring load without Woods with nine points to her name while the visitors were shooting 67 per cent to 24 while having 12 free-throw attempts to two.

The Capitals then managed just the eight points in the second quarter with just 4/18 shooting from the field while missing all four three-point attempts and both fere throws while having another five turnovers.

Townsville put up 29 points up the other end with 10/20 shooting including 6/12 from behind the three-point line with Tofaeono up to 13 points, Mia Murray 11 and Harriet Carey nine on 3/3 three-point shooting.

The Flames on the back of that went into half-time leading 53-20 and even though Brisbane did win the third term 21 points to 15 on 10/22 shooting, Townsville remained well in control leading by 27 at three quarter-time.

To the Caps' credit they did put up another 30 points in the last quarter too with 11/21 shooting but the Flames were never threatened and still went on to score the 22-point victory.

It's another big task next Saturday for the Capitals when they play host to the undefeated Cairns Dolphins while Townsville back up on Sunday in their road double against the Southern Districts Spartans.

NBL1 NORTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 8

BRISBANE CAPITALS 71 (Enriquez-Paea 17, Harris 13, Mate 12)

TOWNSVILLE FLAMES 93 (Tofaeono 31, Ward 15, Murray 13)