Game Preview: Hawks vs Perth Wildcats | RD19 NBL26

Wildcats Finally Enter the Sandpit for High-Stakes Showdown

After a bruising night in Sydney on Thursday, the equation has never been simpler: we must defend the Sandpit at all costs to keep our post-season hopes from flatlining. Our boys have been living out of suitcases for this matchup all season, having already braved the "Red Army" at RAC Arena three times. Now, after 120 minutes of basketball on their floor, the Wildcats finally have to step into our house and deal with the Illawarra faithful in their lone visit to Wollongong.

Perth rolls in with plenty of momentum after a 101–93 clinical win over the second-placed Phoenix on Wednesday night. While they’ve enjoyed the comforts of the West, the Hawks are hungry for a signature home win to erase the memory of Thursday’s Freeway Series loss. The stakes couldn't be higher; it’s a desperate battle for survival in the Gong, and we need every single Hawkhead in the building to bring the noise!.

The Matchup

The season series is locked in Perth’s favour at 2-1, but this is the first time the Wildcats have had to travel to the Gong this year.

• Oct 2: Wildcats 92 – 84 Hawks. A tough start of season road trip where we held them scoreless for four minutes in early but couldn't close it out.
• Oct 25: Wildcats 84 – 85 Hawks. A legendary road victory fueled by JaVale McGee’s go-ahead free throw and a monster block at the buzzer.
• Jan 16: Wildcats 92 – 87 Hawks. We fought to the final buzzer in a gritty HoopsFest battle despite being without QJ Peterson JR.

Hawk Watch:

Tyler's Elite Form: Captain Tyler Harvey is officially back in world-class rhythm. Despite the result in Sydney, Harvey led from the front with a dominant 25 points, proving he is ready to carry the offensive load in this must-win scenario.

Grida the Spark Plug: Daniel Grida is the definition of a winning player. Over the last 10 games, the Hawks have been positive when Grida is on the floor in 8 out of 10 contests, an incredible feat given our recent win-loss record. He was nearly automatic against the Kings, shooting 7-from-9 (77.8%) for 17 points. Over his last five games, Grida is shooting a staggering 25-of-32 (78.1%) from the field.

William "Davo" Hickey was everywhere on Thursday, stuffing the stat sheet with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. His ability to impact every facet of the game—and his current team-leading 6.6 APG-will be vital to breaking down the Perth defence.

Scouting the Wildcats

• Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (JLA): The massive interior anchor for Perth is averaging 17.0 PPG and 1.6 BPG. He’s coming off an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double in his last outing.
• Dylan Windler: Windler exploded for 23 points and 11 rebounds against the Phoenix. He leads Perth's shooters and is a force on the glass with 7.1 RPG.
• Kristian Doolittle: A versatile forward  who does the "dirty work," leading the team in rebounds (7.5 RPG) and assists (3.4 APG).

Keys to Victory

• Frontcourt Dominance (McGee vs JLA): The heavyweight battle of the year continues. JaVale McGee (20.1 PPG, 9.8 RPG) was a force of nature in our previous win over Perth and needs to anchor the paint against JLA’s interior scoring.
• Protect the Perimeter: After the Kings' enfuego shooting on Thursday, we must shut down Windler. Look for Wani Swaka Lo Buluk to lead the defensive charge.
• Rebounding Authority: We are the best rebounding team in the league at 44.6 per game. We need Sam Froling (6.8 RPG) and McGee to control the glass to prevent Perth’s second-chance points.

Game Details Block

• Who: Illawarra Hawks vs Perth Wildcats
• When: Saturday, Jan 31, 8:00 pm AEDT
• Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
• Ladder Position: Hawks (8th, 10-17) vs Wildcats (5th, 17-11)

Tickets: Head to Ticketmaster to secure your seats at the Sandpit!