Doyle meets his old club as Maker gets his first taste of home court as a Hawk.

The road trip is done. Four of our first five games were played away from home, and now the Hawks are back where they belong, with two games in three days at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

First up, Friday night under the lights against the Tasmania JackJumpers. Start the weekend with us.

The ladder says 1-4. Look underneath it and you'll find a different story.

We're second in the NBL for scoring at 97.2 points a game, third for field goal percentage at 48.0, and we lead the league in both field goal attempts and assists. This group shares the ball, gets up shots and doesn't cough it up. The last time Hawkheads saw them in the flesh, they beat Adelaide 114-92, led by as many as 32, and handed out 33 assists. The Sandpit is ready for round two.

And Friday has a storyline written all over it. Milton Doyle won the NBL24 championship in a JackJumpers jersey. On Friday night he lines up against them in ours. Alongside him, new big man Makur Maker, signed for the rest of the season, plays his first home game after a 14-point debut on 7 of 11 shooting in Melbourne.

He felt the Hawkheads noise last week from the sideline. Let's show him more when he hits the court.

The Matchup

The JackJumpers arrive second on the ladder at 3-1, on a two-game winning streak. A few pointers from what we've both done so far:

• Home sweet home. We're 1-0 at the WIN Entertainment Centre. The JackJumpers are 1-1 on the road, and their only loss came away, 93-87 in Cairns.
• Common opponent: Brisbane. The JackJumpers won 109-99 at the Bullets on 3 October. We went down 103-95 at the same venue on 25 September, a game we cut to one point in the fourth.
• Common opponent: S.E. Melbourne Phoenix. The JackJumpers opened their season with a 96-91 home win over the Phoenix. We fell 113-96 at John Cain Arena on Sunday, beaten by 16 threes.
• The last time at the home. Kelan Martin set a new NBL career high of 28, Sam Froling had 19 points and 13 rebounds, and we won the boards 49-35 against Adelaide.
• Doyle the distributor. Milton Doyle handed out 11 assists against the Phoenix, equalling his NBL career high, with three steals and a perfect 4 of 4 at the line.

Scouting the JackJumpers

Taran Armstrong. The engine. Armstrong leads Tasmania in scoring at 20.0 points a game and in assists at 5.0. He's coming off a season-high 29 in the win over Brisbane, and he dished seven assists in Cairns. Contain him and the whole machine slows down.

Will Magnay. A genuine physical presence at both ends. Magnay averages 17.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks, and he anchors the side that leads the NBL in blocked shots at 5.0 a game. He also lives at the line: 12 of 14 from the stripe against United. He had four blocks against Brisbane.

David Johnson. Dropped 26 on the Phoenix on opening night and is averaging 17.3. Behind those three, Dakota Mathias (15.3) and Josh Bannan (14.0 points, 7.5 rebounds) make it five JackJumpers averaging 14 or more. This is a deep, physical side that is one of the best rebounding teams in the league.

Keys to Victory

Lock the Door. Our offence is humming. Our defence has been leaking, with a league-high 104.8 points allowed per game. Opponents have averaged 27.8 free throw attempts against us, and the JackJumpers get there 26.8 times a game, second in the NBL. Defend with our feet, keep them off the line.

Own the Paint. It's strength on strength. We lead the league in points in the paint at 50.0 a game. They lead the league in blocks. Froling and Maker against Magnay and Bannan is the battle inside, and the glass comes with it. We won the boards 49-35 the last time we played at home. Do it again.

Run Them Off the Floor. We turn it over just 10.8 times a game, the fourth fewest in the NBL. The JackJumpers turn it over 12.8 times, the third most. Nobody in the league scores more fast break points than our 19.0 a game. Force the mistakes, let Doyle push the pace, and get Maker running the floor.

Cash In at the Line. At 67.5 per cent, our free throw shooting sits ninth in the league, and it's the most fixable number on the sheet. We went 5 of 14 in an eight-point loss in Brisbane. Knock them down on Friday and we take a big step towards a win.

Then Sunday: the Taipans

Two home games in three days. On Sunday 11 October at 5:00pm, the Cairns Taipans come to town, the side that handed the JackJumpers their only loss. They bring Jack McVeigh, their leading scorer at 16.2 points a game, plus Next Star Luke Paul, the 17-year-old who just committed to Duke. Next year the NBA prospect is in college basketball. This Sunday you can see him in Wollongong.

Our full Taipans preview lands on Saturday. Come to one, or make a weekend of both. Everything you need for the night is in our Game Day Guide.

Game Details

Who: Illawarra Hawks vs Tasmania JackJumpers

When: Friday 9 October 2026, 7:30pm AEDT

Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong

Watch: Live on ESPN on Disney+

Visit the Game Day Guide for more.

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