ROUND 3 - Men
Ipswich Force v Rockhampton Rockets
Ipswich will be eager to get back on the court after their Round 2 fixture against Sunshine Coast was postponed due to a leak in the roof at Maroochydore Stadium. The Force will be looking for their first win of season 2019 after a Round 1 loss to Mackay. Kyle Harvey will again need to lead the way for the Force and will look to continue his good form after his 34 points on opening night. The Rockets are coming off a disappointing overtime loss at home to USC Rip City. Despite shooting 52% for the game were -9 on the offensive glass enabling Rip 15 more second-chance points. Rockhampton are the highest scoring team over the first two rounds so we look for a shootout at Llewellyn Stadium on Friday, a game in which the Rockets may just have too much class for the home side.
Logan Thunder v Rockhampton Rockets
Like Ipswich, Logan have not played since Round 1 and will also be keen to get in the win column for the first time this season. Mitch Young was a beast on the boards against the Meteors, pulling down 17 rebounds including 6 on the offensive end. Given the Rockets struggles to keep USC off the glass in Round 2 Young will be looking to take advantage this on Saturday night. Logan Point Guard Rayshawn Simmons is a chance to make his season debut and this would set up a fascinating battle at the guard spot between him and Bruce who are the league assist leaders for the past two seasons. We feel the Thunder will get the best of Rockhampton who are on the second night of a triple header and record win in a close one.
Ipswich Force v Gladstone Port City Power Surge
The Force will be playing at home in back-to-back games, this time with Gladstone coming to town. The Surge have started the season 1-2 and despite a strong road victory over Toowoomba last Saturday were blown off the court by Southern Districts on Sunday. Despite the heavy loss to the Spartans Taylor Young was able to stuff the stat sheet with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Gladstone will look for a more even spread of scorers in Saturday’s match up, as this proved to be a vital part of the win over Toowoomba compared to Sunday’s loss. Ipswich just.
North Gold Coast Seahawks v Brisbane Capitals
The Seahawks were unable to get over the line at home against Sunshine Coast in Round 2, falling by 7 points. North Gold Coast entered the final quarter with a 5-point lead but only managed 17 points in the last and were eventually outscored by 12 for the quarter. Tom Howard recorded a double-double (14 and 10) for the Seahawks in the loss but will be looking to bounce back from a 4-21 shooting performance. The Capitals were able to turn a 1-point quarter time deficit against Gold Coast into an 11-point half time lead and they never looked back making light work of the Rollers. Six players reached double figures for the home side with Aaron Anderson leading the way with 26 points on 8-12 shooting. Expect Brisbane to travel down the coast and record their third straight win to start the season.
Sunshine Coast Phoenix v Toowoomba Mountaineers
Like Brisbane, Phoenix have started their 2019 campaign with a 2-0 record. Sunshine Coast was able to overcome a three-quarter time lead against Seahawks in Round 2 as they ran away 7-point victors. The Meehl brothers (Zeke and Zane) were instrumental in the win scoring 22 and 19 points respectively, whilst Zane also recorded a game-high 9 assists. Toowoomba are one of three winless teams over the opening two rounds dropping games to South West Metro and Gladstone. The Mountaineers were not able to capitalise on a 6-point lead heading into the last quarter against Gladstone, before being kept to a dismal 13 points with the game on the line. Ricardo Martin put in 22 for the home side whilst Jason Spurgin pulled in a massive 16 rebounds. Sunshine Coast should continue on their winning ways and finish Round 3 with a 3-0 record.
Southern Districts Spartans v USC Rip City
After a disappointing opening round where they lost both games, the Spartans bounced back with an emphatic 30-point thumping over Gladstone on Sunday. Southern Districts put up a whopping 122 points on the Surge with three starters all scoring 30 points or more. Christopher Whitehead put in 31 to go along with 9 assists, Scott Kenny added 30 of his own and Josh Derksen (30 points and 13 rebounds) on an efficient 12-15 from the field was the QBL Player of the Week. The Spartans will face USC Rip City who split their northern road double in Round 2, with an impressive overtime win over Rockhampton the night after being demolished by Mackay. Isaih Tueta averaged 26.5 points across the weekend, whilst Louis Ilton put up 13.5 points and 15.0 boards in the two games. Both teams will take plenty of confidence out of the last match, but we will give Spartans the nod in front of their home crowd.
Townsville Heat v Cairns Marlins
Townsville were able to escape with a 2-point victory over South West Metro at home in Round 2. The Heat led by as many as 18 in the second quarter before the Pirates chipped away before eventually hitting the lead in the dying minutes. Both teams went basket for basket in the final two minutes before a Keegan Tudehope basketball broke the deadlock with 11 seconds left, giving Townsville the win. Big man Johnathon Mines put up a massive 28 points and 13 rebounds in his first game for the team. The Marlins meanwhile were able to make light week of the Pirates on Friday night winning by 27. Despite only leading by 3 at the major break, Cairns outscored the visitors 54-30 in the final two quarters to win comfortably. Five players scored double figures for the Marlins with Christian Jurlina leading the way with 18. In what will be a rematch of the 2018 QBL Grand Final, the Marlins will return to Townsville to try and reverse their fortunes from last August. Townsville at home in a tight one.
Gold Coast Rollers v Rockhampton Rockets
The Rollers came crashing back to earth after the 2-0 opening round, going down to Brisbane by 23 points at Auchenflower Stadium on Saturday night. Gold Coast allowed the Capitals to shoot 54% from the field and were -17 in free throw attempts for the game. Spencer Parker was the highlight for the Rollers as he put in 27 points to go along with 7 boards and 3 steals. The Rockets will be playing their third game in as many days as they face a fresh Gold coast outfit who will be playing their first game in 8 days. Rockhampton may have the bigger names in this match up but the Rollers who are undefeated at home (2-0) so far this season may just get back on the winning list.
South West Metro Pirates v Brisbane Capitals
The Pirates suffered two losses in Round 2 as they faced both of last years Grand Finalists in the Marlins and Heat. A disappointing 27-point loss to Cairns was backed up with a tough 2-point defeat to Townsville the following evening. Despite falling into a deep hole in the first half, South West clawed their way back to hit in the lead in the final stages of the contest before a couple of clutch Heat baskets sealed the victory for Townsville. All five Pirate starters hit double figures led by Jarred Bairstow’s 24 points and 10 rebounds. Nelson Larkins managed 22 of his own, whilst Jarett Croff put in 17 of his own on 8-11 shooting to go along with 4 blocks. The Capitals will be backing up after a Saturday night hit out against the Seahawks. Capitals to get their second road W of the weekend.
Mackay Meteors v Cairns Marlins
Mackay enter Round 3 off a thumping of USC at home in Round 2. The Meteors (3-1) again look like one of the teams to beat as they have comfortably won three straight since going down in a close one to the Gold Coast on opening night. Chris Cedar put in a game-high 28 on 10-15 shooting, whilst Bryce Washington continues to put up huge numbers with another 23 points and 16 rebounds. Mackay will be looking for revenge against a Cairns outfit who knocked them out of the 2018 Playoffs on this very court. The Marlins will be backing up after a tough match up against Townsville on Saturday night. There is no tougher double in the QBL and the Meteors should be able to scrape over the line against the Marlins who will play their sixth game inside the opening three rounds.
ROUND 3 - Women
Ipswich Force v Rockhampton Cyclones
The Force had a week off last round due to dangerous conditions at Maroochydore. This week Ipswich have a home double header starting with the Cyclones on Friday and will look to get their season started with a win in either game. Rockhampton hosted their first game of the season last week and were able to keep their undefeated start to the season with a narrow 6-point win over the Rip. The face a tough triple header down south with matches against Logan and Gold Coast to follow. Brooke Bair and Shyla Heal led the Cyclones in scoring last week and Rocky will look to those two to again provide an advantage over Amanda Johnson and co. An interesting encounter awaits to open Round 3 with the Cyclones a slight favourite over the Force.
Ipswich Force v Gladstone Port City Power Breakers
Ipswich back up from Friday night’s tussle with Rockhampton to face Gladstone the following night. The Power had their first win of the year in Round 2 scoring a 77-68 victory over the Mountaineers in Toowoomba. Amarah Coleman was dominant for Gladstone registering 28 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Kelman-Poto, Bethel and Nanai combined for a total of 38 points, 39 rebounds and 11 steals as the Power created a fourth-quarter comeback to overrun the Mountaineers. It was a different story on Sunday as Gladstone were hammered by Southern Districts 104-64. It should be a good battle in the paint when these two collide with some of the best bigs in the competition. Gladstone are in better form and will face Ipswich coming off a game the night before, however, Ipswich have the home crowd advantage and would be favourites in this one.
Logan Thunder v Rockhampton Cyclones
Logan are heading into Round 3 off the back of a bye and will hope to get their second win of the season when they take on the Cyclones on Saturday night at the Thunderdome. Logan lead the league in assists and steals and produced a dominant performance against Mackay in Round 1. Their starting five combined well in the opening round and will hope the same form continues against a Cyclones outfit playing their second game of the round. With some new blood joining the Cyclones in Round 3, this clash shapes up to be one of the best of the round. The Thunder are always strong in front of a massive crowd, however, Rocky have been one of the in-form teams early in the season. This is a toss of the coin.
North Gold Coast Seahawks v Brisbane Capitals
The Seahawks are 2 from 2 to start the season and are currently sitting atop the ladder after Round 2. North Gold Coast continued their strong form with a 21-point thumping of the Phoenix at Runaway Bay. Deja Middleton led the scoring with 20 points with 9-15 from the field. Casey Samuels had 19 points, whilst Jamie-Lee Jones topped the rebounds with 12. The Seahawks face a Capitals side chasing their first win of the year after going down to the Gold Coast by 15 at home in Round 2. Emma Read and Raquel Spies scored 17 and 16 points respectively for the Caps but a 27-14 third quarter to the Rollers was the ultimate difference in the loss. Two teams with … form go head-to-head in this one. It’s hard to tip against the Seahawks and at home should be too tough to beat.
Sunshine Coast Phoenix v Toowoomba Mountaineers
Phoenix had just the one game last week away to the Seahawks on Sunday and suffered a 78-57 loss to stay 1-1 in 2019. Amy Browne top scored for the Phoenix with 16 points and Aliyah Huland El was impressive off the bench with 13 points. The Phoenix trailed at every break and never looked like getting into the game as turnovers (24) continued to play a major part. Coach Campbell will hope for more from Clancy and Lockwood as the Phoenix look to secure their second win of the season. Toowoomba came back to earth with a close 9-point loss at home to Gladstone last week. The Mountaineers were competitive throughout and looked good in the final quarter with a 7-point lead but were ultimately run down by the Power. Anita Brown led the team with 19 points, whilst Demi Skinner scored 16 Kristina King had 16 rebounds in the loss. Both teams suffered a loss last week and will be keen to grab momentum back early in the season. Phoenix have the edge at home.
Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans v USC Rip City
The Spartans flexed their championship muscles in Round 2 with a 104-64 demolition of Gladstone to start the year 3 & 0. After a tight first quarter, the Spartans dominated the second half outscoring the Power 61-35. Leah Scott comes up against her old team this week and in great form after a 26 point, 8 rebound and 6 assist effort. Nat Taylor put up 22 points, whilst Aja Parham-Ammar scored 18 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in the victory. USC had a difficult trip up north going down to Mackay and Rockhampton in consecutive nights to remain winless after 3 games. Tahlia Tupaea averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the weekend, whilst Maddison Rocci had 17, 10 and 3 across the two losses. The Spartans are firing and will surely make it 4 from 4 in another home game at Rowland Cowan Stadium.
Townsville Flames v Cairns Dolphins
It’s the battle of the north with arch-rivals Townsville and Cairns meeting for the first time in 2019. Townsville kicked off their campaign with an 8-point loss to the Pirates at home last Saturday. Despite a strong opening quarter, the Flames fell behind and were playing catch-up for the remainder of the contest. Harriet Carey was the star for the home side top scoring with 27 points and shooting at 50% from the field. Lisa Brennan chipped in with 17 points and 9 rebounds, whilst Alicia Froling made an impact on defence with 20 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Dolphins travel to Townsville on Saturday before a quick turnaround against the Meteorettes in Mackay the following day. The Dolphins were hammered at home by the Pirates in Round 2 going down 58-87. Summah Evans top the charts for Cairns with 16 points and 10 rebounds, whilst Janee Thompson had 15 points and 6 assists. Both teams have found it difficult to start the season, but the northern rivalry should bring out the best in both teams. Townsville are favourites but expect Cairns to come out firing in this one.
Mackay Meteorettes v Cairns Dolphins
Mackay remain on the better side of .500 after securing a 10-point win over the Rip last week. Heidi Freeburn led the way for Mackay with 23 points including 3-7 from beyond the arc. Erica Coville made an immediate impact off the bench with 17 points as Mackay’s depth was too strong for the Rip. The Meteorettes face a Cairns team playing their second game of the round and the Dolphins will back up from a big clash with the Flames the night before. The Dolphins felt the impact of losing young star Shaneice Swain last weekend and coach Kerry Williams will look to his starters for more influence in this tough encounter. On paper it should be Mackay but don’t discount this plucky Cairns outfit with their backs against the wall.
South West Metro Pirates v Brisbane Capitals
The Pirates bounced back to form after a shock Round 1 loss to Toowoomba to register impressive double header wins against Cairns and Townsville. The Pirates were boosted by Mia Lloyd’s outstanding weekend registering 23 points and 11 rebounds in both wins earning her Player of the Week honours. Kayla Roberts scored 20 against Cairns and 15 against the Flames, whilst Steph Bairstow averaged 17 across the weekend to go along with 8 rebounds. Madelyn Willey has been one of the top assists’ leaders in the league and her contribution in Round 2 helped the Pirates to big wins. The Pirates head home to face a struggling Capitals outfit backing up from an away trip to Runaway Bay the night prior. The Caps are well and truly under pressure and another loss will see their finals’ hopes slip away. It’s a must-win for Brisbane if they go into this clash 0 & 3 but based on both teams’ form, it’s the Pirates at home for this one.
Gold Coast Rollers v Rockhampton Cyclones
The final game of the round sees the 1 & 2 Gold Coast Rollers tackle the Rockhampton Cyclones in the third of their southern double-header in Southeast Queensland. Gold Coast put a difficult Round 1 aside as they recorded a big win over the Capitals last week. Jacquie Luna-Castro was the standout for the Rollers putting up 24 points and 7 rebounds, whilst contributions from Susannah Walmsley (18 points) and Sarah Ambrose (11 rebounds) helped the Coast to victory. Despite just 58 shots from the field, the Rollers took their chances shooting at 48% with Luna-Castro the leader at 76% efficiency. The Rollers face a strong Rockhampton side who despite going into their third game of the weekend will be tough to beat considering their imposing line-up. A battle of the bigs ensues but if Rocky can remain fresh enough from their first two games, they should be able to get over the line in this one.
