Flames lock in top spot in QBL
The Townsville Flames will boast home court advantage for the duration of the 2018 QBL finals to commence this week’s Winter Update.
Needing to defeat the Sunshine Coast Phoenix to secure top spot, the Flames took care of business at the Furnace on Friday night as they secured an 87-75 victory.
Micaela Cocks, who would be crowned the Flames’ MVP just 24 hours later, was simply brilliant, as she finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists during another dominant performance.
Fire teammate Darcee Garbin posted 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Stella Beck was active on the defensive end and registered seven points, three rebounds and four assits.
The Flames will now host North Gold Coast in a cut-throat quarter-final on Saturday including Fire recruit Casey Samuels.
While the Seahawks were on the wrong side of a 70-85 loss to Brisbane Spartans at the weekend, Samuels continued her rich vein of form as she top-scored with 26 points, six rebounds and three assists.
The former Australian junior looms as the matchwinner in Townsville this week against a Flames line-up which will be missing Garbin, who will participate in a World Cup selection camp for the Chemist Warehouse Opals.
Meanwhile, Logan concluded their QBL campaign with a 91-75 victory over Gladstone.
Zitina Aokuso netted her 11th double-double of the season as she top-scored with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, while Mikhaela Donnelly added 17 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals.
The Thunder (7-11) finished two games out of the finals, but Aokuso and Donnelly were both stars over the course of the season.
Aokuso led the team in scoring after averaging 17.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists, while Donnelly will be in All*Star Five calculations after averaging 16.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists as one of the competition’s premier point-guards.