Game Recap: Hawks @ Perth Wildcats | RD9 NBL27

Tyler Harvey’s fourth-quarter threes had us five up with 47 seconds left in Perth, before the Wildcats forced overtime and pulled away

This one stings. On Perth’s Indigenous Round night at RAC Arena, we led by five with 47 seconds left in regulation, and the Wildcats still found a way. A Brandon Knight layup and a Kristian Doolittle three with nine seconds on the clock locked it at 92-92. Perth then took control in overtime to win 111-100.

Before that heartbreak came a fourth quarter worth staying up for. Co-Captain Tyler Harvey scored all 9 of his fourth-quarter points from long range, three threes, each landing exactly when we needed it most. We won that quarter 26-23 and gave ourselves every chance to steal it on the road.

Harvey from the 45

The first one came with Perth up 75-73: a fadeaway three that put us back in front at 76-75. The second was the shot of the night. With Perth leading 84-81, Harvey curled into a fadeaway three from the 45. It was a huge degree of difficulty and he made it look easy, levelling it at 84.

The third was the dagger that should have been. Kelan Martin’s three had us ahead 89-86, and after Doolittle split a pair at the line, Harvey answered from the opposite 45. We were 92-87 up with 47 seconds left. He finished with 14 points, 4 of 8 from deep.

Five points in five seconds

We started the fourth quarter five down at 73-68, and Davo Hickey turned it around in a heartbeat. He took a hard foul, ruled flagrant, and still finished the tough layup. He sank the and-one and we kept the ball. On that same possession he found Makur Maker for the layup. That was five points in five seconds, and we were level at 73.

Hickey finished with 10 points and 10 assists, a double-double full of nerve. Sam Froling had one of his own, 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds in under 21 minutes.

Martin in the big moments

Kelan Martin was everywhere when it mattered. He scored 11 of his 19 points across the fourth quarter and overtime, and blocked three shots in the fourth alone, a new NBL career high. His downhill layup tied it at 86. On the next defensive possession he blocked Doolittle at the rim, then let fly at the other end off a Milton Doyle dish to put us up 89-86.

Maker’s red-hot start

The night started with fireworks too. Makur Maker poured in 13 points in the first quarter and finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds. He hit 4 of his 5 threes, a new NBL career high for made threes. His fourth-quarter three, after a Doyle steal, tied it at 79. We led 30-26 at the first break, shooting 12 of 17 from the field.

Doyle added 16 points.

Where it got away

The free throw line told the story. Perth made 28 of 32 from the stripe and we made 15 of 20, a 13-point gap in an 11-point game. We were called for 28 fouls to their 17, and losing Hickey with just over a minute left in regulation, then Maker early in overtime, hurt us at both ends.

We won the glass 23-13 in the first half, but Perth owned it 34-21 after the break. Seventeen turnovers to their eight gave the Wildcats too many free possessions. After five first-quarter threes, we went 2 of 13 from deep across the middle two quarters. Perth closed regulation and opened overtime on a 10-0 run, and won the extra period 19-8.

Doolittle was outstanding for Perth with 29 points, including 9 of 10 at the line, and Dylan Windler added 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Have your say

Who gets your vote for Greater Bank Game MVP? Harvey with his three fourth-quarter threes and 14 points. Maker with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Martin with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. Hickey with 10 points and 10 assists. Froling with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Over to you, Hawkheads.

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Back home Thursday night for Indigenous Round

The next time you can see it in person is Thursday 19 November at 7:30pm, when the Adelaide 36ers come to WIN Entertainment Centre for Indigenous Round.

Grab your seats now.

• Hollywood seats
• General admission from $99 for a Family, or just $30 each.
• Pre-game function
• See the jersey

HUNGRY JACK’S NBL27 (Boxscore)

Illawarra Hawks 100 (Maker 21, Martin 19, Doyle 16)
Perth Wildcats 111 (Doolittle 29, Windler 22, Knight 19)

Press Conference presented by Relativity Films

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3-2 Road Swing

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