Gold Coast Sea Hawk Women 99 – 95 Cairns Dolphins Women
National Women’s Basketball League1 North | July 4, 2026

Gold Coast Sea Hawk Women outlasted the Cairns Dolphins Women in a 99‑95 shootout at the Carrara Indoor Stadium, producing one of the highest‑scoring games of the season in the NBL1 North women’s competition.

Match Overview

Neither team showed any interest in defence early on, as both sides raced past the 50‑point mark before halftime. Gold Coast’s up‑tempo offence, spearheaded by their athletic backcourt, consistently found holes in the Cairns zone. The Dolphins, however, matched every run with crisp ball movement and efficient shooting, keeping the margin at arm’s length throughout the third quarter.

In the final frame, the Sea Hawks tightened their defensive rotations and forced three consecutive turnovers to build a nine‑point lead. Cairns fought back valiantly, cutting the deficit to two points with 90 seconds left, but Gold Coast’s veteran point guard calmly knocked down four free throws in the closing seconds to ice the win.

Key Performers

• Gold Coast Sea Hawk Women: Guard Chloe Hargreaves exploded for 34 points (12‑of‑20 shooting) and dished out 8 assists. Forward Bridget Bunning added a double‑double: 18 points and 14 rebounds.
• Cairns Dolphins Women: Shooting guard Mia O’Donnell poured in 30 points, including six three‑pointers, while centre Sophie Clarke recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Tactical Story

Gold Coast’s decision to press full‑court for stretches in the second half disrupted Cairns’ rhythm. The Dolphins committed 19 turnovers, leading to 24 points for the Sea Hawks. Offensively, Gold Coast shot an efficient 51% from the field and 40% from deep, while Cairns (47% FG) depended heavily on their starting five, receiving only 10 points from the bench.

Season Impact

The win moves Gold Coast to 14‑5, keeping them in second place behind the front‑running Brisbane Capitals. Cairns, now 11‑8, drops to fourth but remains solidly in playoff contention. Both teams will meet once more in the regular season, and this result gives the Sea Hawks the head‑to‑head tiebreaker advantage.