Double dub in NBL1 opener

CAIRNS enjoyed the perfect start to the NBL1 North season with both men’s and women’s teams earning good wins against Ipswich.

The stacked Dolphins first five, which includes Australian Opal Cayla George and her WNBL championship-winning teammate Penina Davidson, got the Far North club’s campaign under way at Early Settler Stadium with a 12-point win against the Force.

Davidson (23pts, 14 rebs) and George (19pts, 17 rebs) dominated at both ends of the court to record double-doubles, while Amy Lewis put up 16 points against her former club.

Alessandra Burke also hit double figures (12pts).

It was the solid outing coach Myra Donkin was happy to see result in a win, but she will revisit the game management strategy after some players’ extended minutes.

George played all but 20 seconds of the contest, Burke played more than 38 minutes, while Lewis and Davidson were on court for more than half an hour each.

Donkin said those numbers would not become the norm.

“I expected the score to be bigger,” Donkin said. “I thought we’d be able to put some more points up and share the minutes around a bit more. “That wasn’t the case. “Going into next weekend where we have two games, other players will get the opportunity to get on.”

George and Davidson controlled proceedings on both sides of the ball, allowing this new-look team to build and protect a healthy lead.

The score was locked at 22 at the first break, before the Dolphins fired in the second term to lead by nine points at halftime.

They protected that lead until the end, and while her contribution isn’t noted as clearly on the scoresheet, Teyahna Bond played a key role in defence and earned plenty of praise from Donkin.

“I thought she, for her first senior game, and the defensive efforts she gives, was really good for us,” Donkin said.

“I see her in a starting role but we didn’t want to put too much pressure on her.

“I want to get her comfortable playing in this league.

“It’s definitely a good way to start, with a win.

“It was a lot uglier than I would have wanted but, it was our first game together, it was never going to be pretty.”

The Marlins kept the party going with a nine-point win against Ipswich, and it was two Taipans-contracted players who stole the show.

Ben Ayre continued his meteoric rise with a game-high 24 points, while sharpshooter Mirko Djeric fired 20 points.

Curt Ahwang did it all from beyond the arc, hitting fiveof-10 from range for his 15 points, while Deba George scored 10 points of his own.

Taipans gun Majok Deng scored six points (both threes) in his first game for Ipswich, but played only eight minutes.

Both Dolphins and Marlins will hit the road next weekend for games against Rockhampton (Saturday night) and Mackay (Sunday afternoon).