Game Report: Hawks vs 36ers | RD13 NBL26

The Illawarra Hawks may have been down on troops, but they were never down on spirit in a gritty Saturday night clash against the league-leading Adelaide 36ers at the WIN Entertainment Centre. Despite being severely undersized and missing the massive production of leading scorers JaVale McGee (illness) and Tyler Harvey (back), the Hawks pushed the top-of-the-table Sixers to the absolute brink before falling 78-84 (Boxscore).

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It was a night of "next man up" for Coach Justin Tatum’s squad. With McGee a late omission due to illness and Harvey’s incredible league-best streak of 97 consecutive games coming to an end just prior to warmups, the Hawks turned to their youth. Development players Luca Yates and 17-year-old Jackson Ball were thrust into the starting lineup. While Ball didn't even find out he was starting until mid-warmups, both youngsters didn't blink. Yates provided a solid 18 minutes on court with a +1 plus/minus, and the squad brought a speed and efficiency on offense that brought back memories of last year's championship run.

The Hawks’ effort was nothing short of heroic considering the roster constraints. With Jonah Bolden out for the season and star big man Sam Froling still waiting for his season debut following last year's Achilles injury, William "Davo" Hickey was moved from his regular PG spot to start at the 4. Despite the height disadvantage, the Hawks actually won the rebound count 46-43 and grabbed a season-best 17 offensive boards. They were also elite with the ball, committing a season-low 7 turnovers.

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk put together a career night, pouring in 19 points and earning a massive shout-out from Coach Tatum for his relentless defense on NBL superstar Bryce Cotton. Quentin Peterson (QJ) took the scoring reigns in the fourth, top-scoring with 21 points and dragging the Hawks to a 68-66 lead late in the game.

While no loss is satisfying, the Hawks faithful provided a rousing ovation as the team huddled at center court post-game.

The players greeted the crowd with the customary lap of the court, sharing high-fives and hugs with the fans who stuck with them. 36ers Coach Mike Wells gave Coach Tatum massive credit for getting his team up for the game, while Tatum himself praised the team for not folding without their stars.

The Opposition

Adelaide’s class told in the final stages, led by Isaac Humphries with 16 points and 6 rebounds. Bryce Cotton was held to 16 points on 6/18 shooting thanks to the combined defensive efforts of Swaka Lo Buluk, Hickey, Grida, and Bayles. Nick Rakocevic (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Zylan Cheatham (11 points) also helped the Sixers maintain their top spot.

Next Game

The Hawks head to the big smoke for a massive Christmas Day blockbuster against the Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena. Tip-off is at 12:00 am on Thursday, Dec 25th.

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HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 | RD13
ILLAWARRA HAWKS 78 (Peterson 21, Swaka Lo Buluk 19, Grida 11)
ADELAIDE 36ERS 84 (Cotton 16, Humphries 16, Cheatham 11, White 11, Rakocevic 11)

Highlights

Press Conference