THE Ipswich Force have been overpowered on their home court, falling 112-95 to the Mackay Meteors at Ipswich Basketball Stadium on Saturday night.
In a contest defined by efficiency, Mackay’s blistering 60.5 per cent shooting from the field proved decisive, exposing defensive lapses and leaving Ipswich chasing the game from the outset.
There was strong interest surrounding the home side, with marquee recruit Lamar Patterson making his debut.
Patterson showed glimpses of his class with nine points and six assists.
Samuel McDaniel delivered a standout performance with 34 points, nine rebounds and six three-pointers in a full 40-minute effort, while Lachlan Anderson added 26 points and nine boards.
William Mahoney provided valuable support off the bench with 13 points.
However, the Force struggled for consistency beyond its main contributors, finishing at just 36.5 per cent from the field as a team.
Mackay set the tone early, piling on 36 points in the opening quarter to establish control.
Ipswich showed resilience to remain within striking distance through the middle stages, but any hopes of a late comeback were dashed in the final quarter, where Mackay poured in 32 points to seal a comfortable victory.
Earlier, the Ipswich Lady Force were also defeated, going down 90-66 to the Mackay Meteorettes in their NBL1 North Women’s clash.
Captain Olivia West led with 15 points, matched by Georgia Ralph, who knocked down four three-pointers.
Ipswich will look to respond when they host the defending champions Logan Thunder this weekend.
