Game Report: Hawks @ Taipans | Rd8 NBL26

Will “Davo” Hickey further etched his name into Illawarra Hawks folklore on Friday night, delivering a record-setting triple-double to lead the reigning champs to a resounding 107–90 win over the Cairns Taipans at the Cairns Convention Centre capping off the Hawks fourth game in a week.

Led by a sensational Hickey, a scorching shooting night from QJ Peterson, and yet another dominant display inside from JaVale McGee, the reigning champs took control in the second half and never looked back — locking in their second straight win and moving to 4–6 on the season.

Hickey Makes History

Hickey delivered the first triple-double of the NBL26 season with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a performance that will be remembered for years to come. It marked the first triple-double by a Hawk since LaMelo Ball — and incredibly, the first in club history to feature at least 12 rebounds and 12 assists.

In doing so, Hickey also became just the second former development player in NBL history to achieve a triple-double, following Will McDowell-White — who just so happens to be the older brother of Hawks guard Kobe McDowell-White. Even more significantly, Hickey and McDowell-White now stand alone as the only Indigenous Australians to record a triple-double in the NBL.

His fingerprints were all over this one — from clutch buckets, to backdoor dimes, to highlight-reel defence including a clean block on Jack McVeigh and a coast-to-coast finish during a third-quarter run that gave the Hawks breathing room.

McGee Continues Monster Stretch
After dropping a career-high 37 points earlier in the week, JaVale McGee backed it up with 28 points on 12-of-13 shooting, showing once again why he’s one of the most unstoppable forces in the paint. Cairns tried to counter by going small — starting Admiral Schofield at the five — but McGee took full advantage, scoring 11 in the first quarter alone and punishing mismatches all night.

He also hit two triples, including a deep bomb early in the third that ignited a Hawks run.

QJ Peterson Ignites from Deep
Coming into the game shooting just 4-of-23 in his first three NBL appearances, QJ Peterson finally broke out in spectacular fashion — finishing with 22 points and 4-of-6 from three. His back-to-back triples to close the third blew the game open, and another pair in the fourth sealed the deal. He also added 4 rebounds and 2 assists in his best outing as a Hawk.

Team Effort Seals It
Despite being without Daniel Grida (concussion) and Jonah Bolden (groin), the Hawks played with confidence and chemistry. Mason Peatling added 14 points and 4 assists, while Wani Swaka Lo Buluk chipped in with 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and his usual defensive hustle. Coach Justin Tatum also got valuable minutes from Luca Yates and Johnny Narkle, with the latter dropping a crafty athletic first-half finish in traffic.

The Hawks finished the game shooting a sizzling 59.5% from the field and had 26 assists on 44 made baskets — a testament to their unselfish style.

From the Opposition
Cairns rode a three-point barrage to stay close, hitting 10-of-18 from deep in the first half. Mojave King exploded for a career-high 32 points on 13-of-16 shooting, including 6 triples, while Kyrin Galloway added 15 points and 7 boards. Jack McVeigh had a well-rounded 13 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. But the Snakes couldn’t slow Illawarra’s firepower or match their depth down the stretch.

Next Game
🎟️ We’re back at The WIN Entertainment Centre, November 16 at 2:30pm vs Sydney Kings — be there live!
Grab your tickets now at Ticketmaster

HUNGRY JACK’S NBL SEASON 2025/26 | Rd8
ILLAWARRA HAWKS 107 (McGee 28, Peterson 22, Hickey 19)
CAIRNS TAIPANS 90 (King 32, Galloway 15, McVeigh 13)

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