Hawks take down Wildcats to surge into playoffs

The Result

Illawarra Hawks 81 - Perth Wildcats 79

The Story

For the first time since 2017, the Illawarra Hawks are playoff bound after a thrilling 81-79 win over the defending champion Perth Wildcats at a heaving WIN Entertainment Centre.

It was a dynamic first few minutes for the Hawks in front of a parochial home crowd, with the home side keeping them all on their feet for the first three minutes of action until the Wildcats finally registered a field goal.

In that space of time Hawks talisman Tyler Harvey already had five of his own as Illawarra shot out to a 9-2 advantage. 

Sam Froling continued his fine form with a couple of nice buckets, the big man running the floor to go coast-to-coast on one occasion, before finishing off a nice Harvey dish to score again.

The Hawks taking a 20-16 lead into quartertime.

The second stanza saw the Wildcats make a run on the back of John Mooney and fresh signing Will Magnay. The latter having perhaps his best half of basketball since his return from his stint in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans. 

A series of controversial calls had the home crowd in hysterics midway through the quarter, as a tug-of-war between two of the form teams of the NBL ensued. The Hawks leading by six at halftime with Harvey leading all scorers on 14.

The second half was a dog fight of epic proportions. Justin Simon helped ignite the crowd with this epic cross over - putting youngster Luke Travers on skates on his way to a tough finish.

This Sam Froling dunk driving the fans insane as the Hawks maintained a third quarter lead, with their first win over Perth this season within reach. 

The final few minutes felt like a playoff game, with both side's landing blow after blow from deep. Jesse Wagstaff almost pulled the victory out of the sire for the Wildcats, nailing clutch shot after clutch shot. 

But everytime Wagstaff hit, Harvey was waiting at the other end. The pair trading baskets down the stretch as the lead bounced back and forth.

Harvey and Justinian Jessup both missed clutch free throws down the stretch that would have iced the game, giving John Mooney one last chance to hand the Wildcats a win.

His buzzer beating failing to drop as the Hawks sealed a playoff position with a 81-70 triumph.

The Stats

Coach Brian Goorjian has been consistent in his messaging this year on how the Hawks will win games. Defending well, keeping opposition teams off the foul line and taking care of the ball. 

The win over the Wildcats was another prime example of how the Hawks have bought into that messaging. Illawarra had 11 steals to the Wildcats three, four blocked shots to Perth's zero, the home side shot 16 foul shots to the visitors 11, and only committed seven turnovers to Perth's 15.

That final stat also led to an 18-2 advantage to the Hawks in point from turnovers.

Illawarra got beat up on the glass a little bit (32-45), and Perth has almost double the number of assists (12-23), and the Wildcats' bench also outscored the Hawks 40-26.

The Fallout

"They're so far further down the road than we are right now and it just, tonight was really about competitive spirit, about a culture, about young guys that are just excited in the moment and really, I know basketball strategy but really tonight it came down to just a passion within the group of not wanting to lose," coach Brian Goorjian said.

"They were much more sophisticated than we were in their half court offence, they're much furhter along on their roles defensively but we made big plays, we fought, we scrapped, and it was something I said to the community leading into this last three weeks, we're gonna leave it on the court, we're gonna bleed for this organsiation and for this city and tonight it was on display for everybody to see ," Goorjian said.

"The guy sitting next to me [Dan Grida]. We planned this season of him not playing at all, coming off a knee, you're out for this season and we put a lineup together under those cirucumstances, so [Deng] Adel goes and you bring Grida in and it added to the chemistry of the team, it added to the energy and the things that I've been talking about on what we're trying to present. Tonight he had some big offensive rebounds and he was great for us defensively, he brought an energy to this and another guy who can pick the ball up full court," Goorjian said. 

"The fans here have always been great and tonight it was just up another level. For them to come out on a Tuesday night, expecially when we've got this last little stretch, it's awesome and we feel it. The Illawarra chant gets us going like nothing else, we love to hear it and we love having fans here," guard Dan Grida said.

"Me and Emmett [Naar] have lived togther a whole lot these last three years and every single time we always talk about how much fun it'll be to play in the playoffs and to win one here. We think it would be better to win one here than anywhere else because it's such a small place, the crowd gets around us so much. We're so excited, it's been a huge year for us, we've been everywhere, we've really stuck together and it's all coming together at the right time," Grida said. 

The Road Ahead

Round 21 - Thursday June 3, 7:30pm AEST v Sydney Kings @ WIN Entertainment Centre