North Wrap | Men's Round 4

Featured image: Low Post Shots

Shaun Bruce, Tamuri Wigness, James Whitt, Ky Stattmann, Quintin Dove and Jarred Bairstow all delivered winning NBL1 North performances for Logan Thunder, Southern Districts Spartans, Gold Coast Rollers, Cairns Marlins, Northside Wizards and Brisbane Capitals.

>> NORTH SPOTLIGHT | PAPACOSTAS SEALS ROAD WIN FOR CAPS

>> NORTH SPOTLIGHT | WHITT STARS AGAIN AS GOLD COAST KEEP WINNING

>> NORTH SPOTLIGHT | SPARTANS RESTRICT PIRATES TO 48 POINTS

>> DALTON ENJOYING HOT LOGAN START AFTER THE CHAOS

FRIDAY

South West Metro Pirates (48) lost to Southern Districts Spartans (95)

The defending champion Southern Districts Spartans held the South West Metro Pirates to 48 points in 40 minutes with just 14 made shots in a crushing 95-48 victory.

The Pirates were playing their first home game of the season at Hibiscus Sports Stadium hunting a first win of 2026 with the Spartans sitting on a .500 record to start their championship defence.

It was a dominant showing from South Districts right from the outset going into half-time leading 42-25 before then holding the Pirates to seven points with 2/25 shooting in the third quarter to push that lead out to 41 points.

The Spartans would go on to win by 47 to improve to 3-2 to start their weekend double while South West Metro are now 0-4 after their lone Round 4 appearance.

Tamuri Wigness produced another 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in the win for Southern Districts with Kon Anguik producing 16 points and five rebounds on 3/4 three-point shooting including a four-point play in the third quarter.

Isaih Tueta added 13 points, two rebounds and two assists, Dhieu Magier seven points, four boards and three assists, Kurt Siwek six points and three rebounds, Mitch Honeyman six points, five rebounds and four steals, Darcy Ryder six points and five assists, Griffin Biwer six points and 11 rebounds, and Ben Hastings six points, five boards and three assists.

Louis Jones top-scored for South West Metro with 11 points and seven rebounds while Dominique Keyes ended up with seven points and nine rebounds having just arrived this week, Oliver Amajoyi six points, eight rebounds and three assists, and Harrison Huber six points and two assists.

SATURDAY

Ipswich Force (83) lost to Logan Thunder (102)

Shaun Bruce had another huge performance with 33 points and nine assists to keep the winning going for the Logan Thunder with the 102-83 road victory over the Ipswich Force.

Logan arrived at Ipswich Basketball Stadium having won all three matches so far including Bruce coming off setting an NBL1 record 24 assists last week against the Mackay Meteors.

Ipswich were at home and having lost their past two games and it was the Thunder leading 29-21 by the end of the first quarter.

The Force stayed in touch with 24 points to 21 in the second term and that limited the Logan lead to 50-45 by the main break.

It was then just an eight-point lead for Logan by three quarter-time, but then the Thunder took control for good with the 28 points to 17 in the last term on the way to the 19-point victory.

The win improves Logan to a 4-0 record with Shaun Bruce delivering another 33 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals with 12/23 shooting from the field, 4/11 from downtown and 5/5 at the foul line.

Tyrone Fui also had 16 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists, Keenan Willie 14 points and six boards, Zac Triplett 11 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, Tom Howard 10 points, 10 boards and three assists, and Cal Dalton nine points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

Ipswich are now 1-3 following a third successive loss with Lamar Patterson doing what he could with 22 points, five assists and four rebounds with 4/8 three-point shooting.

Kane Bishop added 13 points and seven rebounds, Lachlan Anderson 12 points, 10 boards and three assists, Will Mahoney 12 points and four assists, Jason Ralph nine points, seven assists and six boards, and Merrick Small nine points and four rebounds.

Gold Coast Rollers (113) defeated Sunshine Coast Phoenix (93)

James Whitt delivered another standout performance and the Gold Coast Rollers romped to the 113-93 home win against the Sunshine Coast Phoenix on the back of it.

After a disappointing finals exit last year after being regular season champions, the Rollers are a team on a mission in 2026 under coach Anthony Petrie but it was a mixed bag to start with a loss to Logan before two straight wins once Whitt was on board and finding his feet.

The Rollers were looking to make it three straight when hosting Sunshine Coast at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium with the Phoenix trying to bounce back from their first loss of 2026 against the undefeated Cairns Marlins.

Gold Coast were on top virtually from the outset leading by six at quarter-time, 17 at half-time, 23 at three quarter-time and going on to win by 20 to make it three straight to sit at 3-1 with the Phoenix now 2-2.

Whitt has had a spectacular start to the season for Gold Coast and continued that with 28 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block on 13/19 shooting.

Preston Le Gassick was buoyed by the news during the week of signing his first NBL contract at the New Zealand Breakers. He backed it up with 23 points, four assists and three rebounds with 10/11 free-throw shooting.

Jensen Bradtke added 19 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals with Brodie McGregor contributing 16 points and three assists, and Boston Mazlin 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Nelson Kahler finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for the now 2-2 Sunshine Coast with DeShawn Ross-Paiwan adding 17 points and six boards, Luke Anderson 15 points and seven rebounds, Erik Kafritsas 10 points, five assists and four boards, and Darnell Robateau eight points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Cairns Marlins (97) defeated Townsville Heat (74)

The Cairns Marlins continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 97-74 home win against the Townsville Heat with Ky Stattmann having his turn to shine with 26 points and four triples.

The two Far North Queensland rivals already battled back in the season-opening in Townsville with the Marlins winning that game by 32 points as they had their return encounter at Trinity Ford Stadium.

It was a tight battle for the first quarter with Cairns only leading by two at quarter-time but then the Marlins blew the game open with 34 points to 12 to go into the half-time break on top 52-28.

The Marlins then retained control the rest of the way to lead by as much as 32 points before Townsville did go on a 10-0 run only for Cairns to still win by 23 to improve to a perfect 5-0.

Ky Stattmann led way for the Marlins with 26 points, three rebounds and three assists with 4/9 three-point shooting while brother Kody also had another 21 points and five boards.

Amarco Doyle provided 16 points and four rebounds, Kyle Leslie 10 points and five boards, and Luca Yates eight points and five rebounds while Kobe McDowell-White dished out nine assists to go with three points, six rebounds and two steals.

Townsville are now 1-2 following the home loss with Ethan Betts finishing with 15 points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds, Steven Richardson Jr 14 points and eight boards, Josh Corcoran 11 points and three rebounds, Richard Peachey 11 points, four boards and four assists, and Isaac Weldon 10 points and four rebounds.

Southern Districts Spartans (101) lost to Northside Wizards (107)

Quintin Dove announced himself to the NBL1 North with 41 points to lift the Northside Wizards to the stunning 1017-101 overtime win over the defending champions Southern Districts Spartans.

The Spartans had opened their championship defence winning three of their first five matches including a 47-point Friday night win over the South West Metro Pirates ahead of taking on Northside at Rowland Cowan Stadium.

The Wizards managed to build a 21-16 lead by quarter-time after going on a 9-0 run before still leading 45-41 by half-time before the Spartans put up 29 points to 22 in the third term.

That set up a thrilling finish where the Wizards fired back from an eight-point deficit in the last quarter to force the game to overtime thanks to a huge three-pointer with 1:30 to play from Tyler Williams before he tied scores up after a steal from Ben Hastings and going in to score.

That saw the Wizards have the momentum heading into overtime and they kept it going with 17 points to 11 to complete the six-point win and get on the board in 2026 in the process.

Dove had previously played in the NBL1 West at both the Joondalup Wolves and Rockingham Flames, but this is his first North season and he was brilliant in the win for the Wizards.

He finished with 41 points, five rebounds and two assists with 13/25 field goal shooting while going 6/15 from downtown and 9/14 at the foul line.

Tyler Williams also ended up with 20 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals, Durrell McDonald 15 points, eight assists and five steals, Jed Richardson 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Alec Hillman eight points, seven boards, three assists and two steals.

The Spartans are now 3-3 as defending champions despite another 30 points, 10 assists and six rebounds from Grand Final MVP Tamuri Wigness.

Ben Hastings added 21 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals with Isaih Tueta contributing 14 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals, Cameron Thew 12 points and eight boards, and Griffin Biwer nine points, 14 rebounds and two blocked shots.

Mackay Meteors (107) defeated Brisbane Capitals (97)

The Mackay Meteors overcame 34 points from Brendan Teys and took over in the fourth quarter on the way to the 107-97 home win against the Brisbane Capitals.

The Meteors were back home at Mackay Basketball Stadium looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat while the Caps were starting their road double having won three of four so far in 2026.

It was a hot start from both teams as they combined for 65 points with the Capitals leading 35-30 by quarter-time before the visitors had another 27 to 21 in the second frame to go into half-time on top 62-51.

Mackay did fire back in the third quarter with 26 to 15 to level scores by three quarter-time and the Meteors kept that momentum going with another 30 to 20 in the final stanza on the way to the 10-point win.

The victory improves the Meteors to a 3-2 record with Jerron Jamerson delivering 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists with 11/19 shooting.

Cameron Goldfinch added 21 points and five rebounds, Kobey Sager 15 points and three assists, Kye Medhurst 13 points and five rebounds, Justin Ochaya 12 points, five boards and three assists, and Seth Ham 11 points and six rebounds.

Brisbane are now 3-2 with Brendan Teys outstanding with 34 points and four rebounds with 12/24 shooting from the floor, 3/6 from behind the arc and 7/8 at the foul line.

Geordan Papacostas also had 19 points and three rebounds on 7/11 shooting for Caps, Kai Woodfall 16 points and four assists, and Chuatwech Reath eight points, five rebounds and three assists.

SUNDAY

Rockhampton Rockets (79) lost to Brisbane Capitals (85)

Jarred Bairstow had another huge performance and Geordan Papacostas closed the door on the Rockhampton Rockets for the Brisbane Capitals to bounce back from the previous night for the 85-79 road win.

Rockhampton lost their opening two games away to Mackay and at home to Southern Districts but then on Sunday at Bravus Arena it was their first appearance this season since all the way back on April 24.

Brisbane, meanwhile, were already playing a sixth match in 2026 and were looking to bounce back from a tough loss the night before in Mackay to the Meteors.

All throughout the afternoon the Capitals threatened to pull away from the Rockets and eventually they did when Papacostas hit the game's last five points to turn a one-point lead into the six-point victory.

The Capitals will now head home having split their weekend double at 4-2 with Jarred Bairstow outstanding once again delivering 22 points, 14 rebounds and six assists with 10/18 field goal shooting.

He had plenty of help too with Geordan Papacostas ending up with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists including those crucial last five points to seal the victory.

Brendan Teys also had another 13 points and three rebounds, Anthony Kopcikas seven points and three assists, Ben Volkman six points, nine rebounds and four assists, and Kai Woodfall five points, four assists and three boards.

There were some encouraging signs too for coach Neal Tweedy with Rockhampton including from son Jack who delivered 16 points, seven assists and three rebounds.

Isaac Ayoubi also contributed 13 points and three rebounds for the Rockets, Junior Madut 13 points, seven boards and three assists, Jalen Graham 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, and Keahn Tuakura 12 points and seven boards.