Game Preview: Hawks @ Phoenix | RD16 NBL26

Hawks Hunt for Third Straight as Road Trip Hits the Heartland

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The Illawarra Hawks are officially back on the prowl! After a clinical 96–78 dismantling of the Cairns Taipans to open the new year, Justin Tatum’s men have notched back-to-back victories and are riding a massive wave of momentum. The energy is building at the perfect time as the Hawks (8–13) sit 7th on the NBL ladder, closing fast on the Tasmania JackJumpers for a top-six spot.

This Thursday night, the road trip takes us to the State Basketball Centre—the Phoenix’s alternative home where Hawks last played in 2021. The boys are hungry, the chemistry is clicking, and we are ready to spoil the party in Melbourne!

The Matchup: Familiar Foes

This marks the third meeting between these two sides in NBL26, with the season series currently locked at 1–1:

• Round 11 Thriller: The Hawks took a heart-stopping 113–109 OT win at the Sandpit, headlined by a record-breaking 42-point masterpiece from Quentin Peterson (QJ).
• Round 5 Struggle: The Phoenix claimed the first encounter in Melbourne, winning 116–76 despite a historic 22-point, 11-rebound, 5-block performance from JaVale McGee.

Scouting the Phoenix

Second placed (15-7) South East Melbourne is rolling after a massive 124–117 road win in Sydney on Monday. They are the NBL’s leading scorers (97.8 PPG) and lead the league in assists (22.0), meaning we have to disrupt their rhythm early. To extend the streak, we must contain:

• Nathan Sobey: The Phoenix captain is in career-best form at age 35, averaging 22.0 PPG and coming off a 26-point masterclass against the Kings.
• Jordan Hunter: The center is "on a heater" from deep in NBL26, shooting a dangerous 52% from the field and coming off 23 points in Sydney.
• Angus Glover: The Illawarra junior continues to be a major threat from three-point range for a team that leads the league in triples made (12.5).
• John Brown III: His defensive impact is "monstrous." He is a physical enforcer whose presence in the paint will challenge the Hawks' interior scoring.

Keys to Victory

• The Battle of the Boards: This is where the game will be won. Phoenix leads the NBL in Offensive Rebounds (16.1), but they are the worst defensive rebounding team in the league (25.2). Meanwhile, our Hawks lead the NBL in Total Rebounds (45.1) and Defensive Rebounds (32.0). If JaVale McGee and Sam Froling can clean up the glass and deny them second chances, we have a good chance of snatching the win.
• Perimeter Lockdown: The Phoenix take and make more threes than anyone else (35.9 attempts per game). Wani Swaka Lo Buluk and Dan Grida —fresh off a legendary defensive effort where he kept Cairns' leading scorer scoreless for the second half—must spearhead our perimeter defense to cool them off.
• Frontcourt Dominance: We lead the NBL in points in the paint (46.3). With McGee and Froling firing, we must punish their interior defense and take advantage of their league-low defensive rebounding stats.
• Milestone Watch: Look for extra fire from
  • Tyler Harvey, who needs four triples to hit a massive 500 career threes
  • Daniel Grida, who is only four points away from 600 career points.

Game Details

• Who: Illawarra Hawks @ South East Melbourne Phoenix
• When: Thursday, 8 Jan, 7:30 pm
• Where: State Basketball Centre, Melbourne

Check our social media channels for more game highlights and photos as the boys look to make it three in a row!

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