Harvey the hero as Hawks stun Taipans

Illawarra Hawks import Tyler Harvey has sealed a 84-83 upset defeat of the Cairns Taipans with a clutch three-pointer in the final seconds at WIN Entertainment Centre.

Staring down the possibility of a 1-5 start to the NBL season, last year's wooden spooners looked intent on springing an upset on Thursday night as captain Sam Froling fired early.

But the Taipans chased down a 13-point lead and edged in front in the final period, Patrick Miller (24 points, seven assists) leading the charge.

Miller's jump shot in the final minute gave the Taipans a two-point lead that looked as though it could have been match-winning.

But the Hawks belted downfield and the ball found itself in Harvey's hands for their final roll of the dice. 

His deep three swished through the net with one second remaining, sending the home crowd into raptures and improving the Hawks to 2-4.

The Taipans are now 2-2 to start the season, having also dropped their two games against NBA sides as part of that league's pre-season.

Nine first-quarter points from captain Froling helped the Hawks to a nine-point lead at the first change.

After the Taipans locked down the paint to finish the first half, it was rangy centre Froling who reignited the Hawks with back-to-back baskets to begin the second half.

He had his double-double with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, but the Taipans did a better job at targeting him in the second half. 

Froling (16 points, 13 rebounds) went scoreless after half-time.

Import Justin Robinson, who had struggled from the field to begin the season, hit a three that forced a timeout and restored a game-high 13-point lead in the third quarter.

But lapses in concentration threatened to cost the Hawks.

They invited Cairns back into the game by shooting only one of their last nine attempts from the field in the third quarter, having gone almost four minutes without scoring from the field in the second.

A jump shot from Miller brought the margin to only one point at the final change, after big man Sam Waardenburg came up with nine third-quarter points.

After the break, a free-throw from Waardenburg tied things up, one of nine occasions in the final quarter alone that scores were level.

It took Harvey's moment of magic to split the sides late.

ILLAWARRA 84 (Harvey 20, Froling 16, Robinson 11)

CAIRNS 83 (Miller 24, Kuol 19, Mennenga 10)