Hawkeye - Illawarra Hawks v Perth Wildcats R21 Preview

THE MUST KNOWS 

When: 7:30pm AEST, Tuesday 1 April

Where: WIN Entertainment Centre

Broadcast: ESPN, SBS On Demand and Twitch

Past meetings:

Round 8 at John Cain Arena: Wildcats 87 def Hawks 70 by 17-points
Round 11 at RAC Arena: Wildcats 81 def Hawks 70 by 11-points
Round 14 at RAC Arena: Wildcats 83 def Hawks 69 by 14-points

THE PRELUDE

If the Hawks win tonight against the defending champion Perth Wildcats, it will cap a remarkable rise from wooden spooners in 2019-20 to NBL Playoffs in 2020-21.

Sadly though, beating Perth is a far easier thing to say than actually do - with the only team Illawarra has not beaten this season being, you guessed it, the Wildcats.

The West Coasters currently lead the season series 3-0 with each win coming by an average of 13.5 points, but this will be the first time the side's play in Wollongong this season.

In their last two games against the Wildcats – both in Perth – the Hawks held small leads at the halftime intermission, only to be overrun after the main break.

The Hawks have won their past four games - which equals a season-high for successive wins - with the club last winning five games in a row all the way back in February 2014.

Perth has won their past three games and five of their past six matches.

If the Hawks were to drop tonight's game, a win against the Sydney Kings on Thursday would also guarantee post-season basketball.

THE FUN FACTS

Without looking too far ahead, our history of playing playoff basketball is lengthy but has a fairly common denominator.

The last time Illawarra was in the post-season was when they lost the 2017 Grand Final. Prior to that, it was 2016 when the Hawks lost to the Wildcats in the Semi-Finals. Prior to that, it was the 2014 Semi Finals when the Hawks lost to the Wildcats. Prior to that, it was the 2013 Semi Finals when the Hawks lost to the Wildcats. Prior to that, it was the 2010 Grand Final when the Hawks lost to the Wildcats. You get the picture? The last five times the Hawks have been to the post season they have been eliminated by the Wildcats.

A win in this game means that Brian Goorjian’s record of final four finishes is extended to a 21^st straight season. A Goorjian coached team last missed the finals in 1989 when his Eastside Spectres finished seventh – one win out of the top six.

Tyler Harvey looks likely to become the all time leader in three-point makes for the Hawks with just three more to match Cortez Groves in 2006.

Most 3’s in a season for Illawarra:
112 Cortez Groves in 33 games in 2006
109 Tyler Harvey in 33 games in 2021
102 Charles Thomas in 37 games in 2001
98 Patric Fairs in 26 games in 1991

A loss to the Wildcats in this game will mean that Brian Goorjian has been swept in a season series for the first time since he lost 0-3 to Ian Stacker’s Townsville Crocodiles when coaching the Victorian Titans in 1999.

This is Todd Blanchfield’s first game back at the WIN Entertainment Centre since he left the Hawks at the end of last season. His last win there was when the Hawks upset the Kings on New Years Eve 2019. Last season Todd scored more points than anyone else at the Sandpit and the only player who made more threes there was Tim Coenraad.

THE MATCH UP

Tyler Harvey v Mitch Norton

When Tyler Harvey scores 25-points or more, the Hawks are undefeated from seven games. They are 16-2 when he scores 20-points or more.

Harvey has scored 20-points in 18 games this season but has only scored 17, 14 and 13 vs Perth – the only team he has not scored 20-points against. He is also the only Hawks player to average double figures against Perth this year at 14.7ppg, but has been kept to a total of 5-from-23 three-pointers (21.7%).

A big reason for that is the smothering defence of former Hawk Mitch Norton. Norton is ferocious and fearless on the defensive end, and has done a great job of stifling the Hawks number once offensive option this season. 

He's not just a defensive whiz, wth Norton running the Wildcats offence and playing a fantastic conduit role between coach Trevor Gleeson and the rest of his squad.

THE SPOTLIGHT

Justinian Jessup - the Boise State product has been a star for the Hawks in his first professional season of hoops, but it's fair to say he's experienced some growing pains over the past month as he battles his way through the rapid-fire nature of the NBL. 

Jessup is averaging 13.4ppg at 43% from the field this season, with the 'Next Star' knocking down 35% of his three balls while also chipping in 20 blocks and 39 steals.

But his production over the last half a dozen games has dwindled a little on the back of a niggling leg issue that forced him to miss a couple of contests.

The Golden State Warriors draftee has found it tougher to score against the Wildcats this season as well, with his totals of just 7, 15 and 5 across three games his lowest PPG average against all opposition in NBL21.

If one thing is certain in basketball though, it's that shooters shoot and scorers score, and with his back court mate Harvey sure to garner a lot of Perth's attention, we're backing Jessup to get loose and regain his mojo tonight.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

Remaining games for the Hawks: Currently 19 wins, 15 losses
Round 21 Tuesday June 1 @ Home vs Wildcats
Round 21 Thursday June 3 @ Home vs Kings

The Hawks can lose both their remaining games and qualify for the post season but would be sweating on the Kings losing to the Bullets on Saturday with points percentage possibly playing a major factor.