Game Report: Hawks @ JackJumpers | RD18 NBL26

Hawks Grind Out Vital Win in Hobart to Keep Season Alive

The championship heart is still beating, Hawkheads! Our boys headed south to Hobart and took care of business, walking away with a gritty 101–91 victory over the Tasmania JackJumpers. It was a high-stakes encounter, and while the Jackies were severely depleted by injury, the Hawks did what was necessary to secure the win and stay in the playoff hunt.

In a notable change to the rotation, the Hawks went small to match Tasmania's lineup. This meant a starting five of Biwali Bayles, QJ Peterson, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Mason Peatling, and JaVale McGee. This tactical shift left Co-Captains Sam Froling and Tyler Harvey, along with William "Davo" Hickey, to provide a massive punch off the bench.

The Hawks were clinical from the jump, shooting a scorching 60% from the field in the first half. QJ Peterson was the primary engine early, racking up 17 points in the first half alone to help build a 10-point lead. A major highlight came right on the half-time buzzer, when Daniel Grida drove hard and dished a tasty pass to JaVale McGee for a thunderous dunk, putting the Hawks up 60–48 at the break.

The efficiency from our big guns was truly exceptional:

• JaVale McGee was a force, finishing with 23 points and 8 rebounds on a massive 9-of-10 (90%) shooting.
• Sam Froling stayed clinical off the bench, going 8-of-11 (72.7%) for 16 points.
• Daniel Grida was the ultimate spark plug, finishing a perfect 6-of-6 (100%) for 12 points.

In a balanced offensive display, the Hawks finished with five players in double figures, as William Hickey (15 points) and Quentin Peterson (19 points) joined McGee, Froling, and Grida in the double-digit club.

While the Hawks didn't land a single three-pointer in the second half, the interior dominance was enough to hold off a late Tassie surge. This "double-points" win is massive, as it puts the JackJumpers at 16 losses for the season, right alongside us in the fight for the top six. (View ladder)

For the JackJumpers, Josh Bannan fought hard with 26 points, while David Johnson added 21.

What's Next?

The road trip continues! We head to Brisbane to face the Bullets this Monday night, Jan 26, at 7:30 pm, then off to Sydney to face the Kings on Thursday night.

Our next home game is against the Perth Wildcats on Saturday, Jan 31—make sure to grab your tickets from Ticketmaster!

‍HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 (Boxscore)
ILLAWARRA HAWKS 101 (McGee 23, Peterson 19, Froling 16, Hickey 15, Grida 12)
TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 91 (Bannan 26, Johnson 21, Drmic 13, Ayre 12)

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