THE Ipswich Force will head into the NBL1 North finals full of confidence despite suffering a heartbreaking 96-93 loss to Logan Thunder in a thrilling final-round showdown at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre on Saturday night.
Needing to build momentum ahead of the post-season, Ipswich produced a spirited comeback after trailing by five points at the final change, but ultimately fell just short as the Thunder held on in a frantic finish.
The result was enough to secure the Force’s place in the playoffs, with the side now turning its attention to a sudden-death elimination final against third-placed Sunshine Coast Phoenix on the road.
Lachlan Anderson was outstanding for Ipswich, pouring in a game-high 31 points to go with five rebounds, while star import Lamar Patterson continued his stellar campaign with 25 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
Merrick Small controlled the paint with an impressive double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds, William Mahoney chipped in 14 points, and captain Jason Ralph orchestrated the offence with nine assists, five rebounds and two steals.
Despite the narrow defeat, Ralph said the group was excited for the challenge ahead.
“We played some good basketball and are excited to be back in the playoffs,” Ralph said.
Ipswich will now travel north to face the Sunshine Coast Phoenix in a win-or-go-home clash as they chase an NBL1 North championship.
Earlier in the evening, the Ipswich Lady Force’s 2026 campaign came to an end after a 95-75 defeat to Logan Thunder.
The Thunder took control early and carried a 48-42 lead into halftime before pulling away in the second half to seal the victory.
Valerie Huerta once again led the way for Ipswich, finishing with an efficient 22 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Stacie Jones battled hard inside for 14 points and eight rebounds.
Although the Lady Force’s season ends short of the playoffs, the side showed resilience throughout the campaign and will now shift its focus towards building for 2027.
