Game preview: Hawks @ S.E. Melbourne Phoenix | RD9 NBL27

The Hawks have been living out of suitcases, and the frequent flyer points are stacking up. More than 11,000km in the air since the last home game, and the road swing is not done yet. Wednesday night at the State Basketball Centre is game four of five, and the group is locked in.

As head coach Justin Tatum put it after Adelaide,

“we’re not going back home, we’re going from here to Melbourne and Melbourne to Perth.”

The last week has had a bit of everything. Wins in Perth and Cairns showed what the Hawks can do when they are taking flight, and three of the four wins this season have come away from home. Saturday in Adelaide was a tougher night, a 106-78 loss, and Hawkheads can read the ladder: the Hawks sit 10th at 4-9. Wednesday is the chance to respond.

Standing in the way are the Phoenix, who lead the season series 1-0 after a 113-96 result in Round 3, the night Makur Maker made his debut. They sit 8th at 4-7 and arrive off two straight losses, the latest a 110-99 defeat to the Kings in Sydney after a blistering start. This is also an Ignite Cup fixture, and the Hawks are ready to even the ledger.

“I love the togetherness and them supporting each other no matter what.” JT stated

Perth awaits on Saturday, but first things first.

The matchup

Season series: Phoenix lead 1-0 this year. Last season, the Phoenix took the series 2-1.

• Round 3 at John Cain Arena: Phoenix 113, Hawks 96
• Level at 23-23 after one quarter, Phoenix up 59-41 at half, and the Hawks won the third quarter 32-26
• The Hawks shot 47% to the Phoenix’s 45% and won the paint 68-36
• The Phoenix hit 16 of 41 from deep to the Hawks’ 5 of 24, and went to the line 43 times to 16
• Makur Maker’s debut: 14 points on 7 of 11, four rebounds and a block in just under 22 minutes
• Milton Doyle had 14 points and 11 assists, equalling his NBL career high, and Johny Narkle added 13 points with three threes and seven rebounds

Hawks to watch

• Tyler Harvey (Co-Captain): dangerous from deep, hitting 37.8% on 6.3 attempts a game and averaging 12.8 points. He scored 19 in Adelaide, 17 of them before half-time, on 8 of 11 shooting. Tatum says “we started to put Tyler at the one more,” and the aim is simple: “we just want to play unselfish basketball with our group.”
• Sam Froling (Co-Captain): the anchor. He has started all 13 games, shoots 60.4% from the field, and pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds in the Round 3 win over the 36ers. He was a perfect 5 of 5 from the line against the Phoenix in Round 3.
• Kelan Martin: averaging 14.6 and shooting 39.1% from three. He led the Hawks with 17 against the Phoenix in Round 3, and his season-high 28 came in the Round 3 win over Adelaide.
• Makur Maker: 15.7 points a game on 61.9% shooting in his nine games. He had 24 points and nine rebounds in Cairns, and he made his debut against these Phoenix with 14 points on 7 of 11.
• Davo Hickey and the bench: the Hawks’ bench leads the league at 41.1 points a game. “We’re leading the league in bench points,” said Tatum. Hickey is the engine, averaging 10.5 points and 4.2 assists, and he had 12 assists in Adelaide. Tatum’s verdict: “That’s what Davo does.”

Scouting the Phoenix

Live by the three, die by the three. The Phoenix launch a league-high 38.2 threes a game but shoot the league’s lowest percentage, 31.7%. In their four wins they have hit 57 of 148 (38.5%) from deep. In their seven losses, 76 of 272 (27.9%). Against the Kings they went 8 of 15 in the first quarter, then 1 of 9 in the second.

• Nathan Sobey: dangerous from deep and deadly at the line. He averages 18.8 points a game, shoots 88.1% from the stripe, and dropped 33 on the Kings (his best of the season) with 6 of 11 from outside.
• Dash Daniels: the all-rounder. He averages 12.4 points a game and had eight rebounds and six assists against the Hawks in Round 3.
• Yannis Morin: a physical presence at the rim. He blocked four shots against the Hawks in Round 3 and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Kings.

Keys to victory

Weather the early storm. The Phoenix love a fast start. They scored 21 of the first 23 points against the Kings and led 30-9 midway through the first quarter. Absorb the first punch and stay in the fight.

Contest every three. The Phoenix hit 16 of 41 against the Hawks in Round 3. Close out hard, stay on your feet, and make them earn every look.

Clean the glass. The Phoenix average a league-high 16.4 offensive rebounds a game and grabbed 17 against the Hawks in Round 3. Adelaide won the rebounding 44-39 on Saturday with 13 offensive rebounds, and Tatum knows it: “if we got a couple rebounds in the first half it could have been a different ball game.” Box out and finish the possession.

Stay disciplined. The Phoenix went to the line 43 times to the Hawks’ 16 in Round 3, and the Hawks gave away 17 turnovers to Adelaide’s 8 on Saturday. Tatum’s message: “we just got to find a way to play smarter and try to eliminate the runs.” Clean hands, clean defence, no gifts.

Game details

• Who: Illawarra Hawks at S.E. Melbourne Phoenix
• When: Wednesday 11 November 2026, 7:30pm AEDT
• Where: State Basketball Centre
• ‍Watch party: The Illawarra Hotel
• Watch: Tune in on ESPN Disney+

After Saturday’s trip to Perth, the Hawks come home to WIN Entertainment Centre on Thursday 19 November for Indigenous Round against the Adelaide 36ers. Hollywood Seats put you courtside and part of the action.