Game Report: Hawks @ Phoenix | RD5 NBL26

McGee Makes History, But Hawks Overwhelmed in Melbourne

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JaVale McGee etched his name into the Illawarra Hawks and NBL record books on Saturday night — but his milestone performance wasn’t enough to lift the team, as the Hawks fell 116–76 to a red-hot South East Melbourne Phoenix at John Cain Arena.

The veteran big man delivered 22 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks, becoming the first Hawk since Melvin Thomas in 1994 to reach those numbers in a single game. At 37, he also became the oldest player in NBL history to post a 20/10/5 stat line, overtaking league great James Crawford in the record books.

It was a dominant solo display from McGee, who impacted both ends of the floor early and kept the Hawks within reach during a scrappy first quarter. But with turnovers piling up and Phoenix catching fire from long range — hitting 18 triples on the night — the game quickly slipped away.

A silver lining came in the second quarter when 17-year-old Jackson Ball made his NBL and Hawks debut, checking in just before halftime and immediately settling into the game. The young Kiwi got on the scoreboard from the line and added a confident floater in the third quarter, showing plenty of promise in limited minutes.

After a shaky start and three early turnovers, McGee got the Hawks rolling with a block-into-dunk play followed by another powerful finish at the rim. A Bolden put-back and a Harvey floater gave Illawarra a 16–13 lead midway through the opening term. But back-to-back threes from Glover and a flurry of Phoenix perimeter buckets saw the home side wrestle control and take a 30–23 advantage after one.

From there, the turnovers piled up — and Phoenix took full advantage. Illawarra’s 11 first-half giveaways led directly to transition triples, and Glover was unconscious, burying his fifth trey to extend the lead to 47–27. The Hawks were down 66–36 by the main break, with Phoenix shooting 11-of-20 from beyond the arc at that point.

McGee tried to rally the troops early in the third with a series of inside scores and free throws, but foul trouble sent him to the bench, and the deficit ballooned to 30. Grida’s wraparound dime to Bolden for an and-one was a rare highlight in a quarter that ended 83–52 in Phoenix’s favour.

McGee fouled out just 90 seconds into the final period, and the Hawks emptied the bench with Jonah Antonio, Kobe McDowell-White, Biwali Bayles, Jonah Bolden and Harry Froling seeing the final minutes. Froling finished the night with a four-point play at the buzzer, helping trim the final margin and offering a spirited finish for the travelling Hawks faithful.

🔍 Looking Ahead

The loss drops the Hawks to 1–4, and continues a demanding travel stretch that’s seen the squad visit Singapore, Perth, Auckland, Melbourne — and now back to Perth next weekend for a rematch with the Wildcats.

Next Home Game

🎟️ We’re back at The Sandpit on Friday, October 31 vs the New Zealand Breakers — grab your tickets now via Ticketmaster.

📲 Don’t forget to follow our social channels for full match highlights, exclusive photos, and behind-the-scenes access.

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HUNGRY JACK’S NBL SEASON 2025/26 (Boxscore)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 116 (Glover 26, Sobey 21, Maldonado 13)
ILLAWARRA HAWKS 76 (McGee 22, Harvey 14, Bolden 5)