Hawks bounce back in front of home fans

The Illawarra Hawks bounced back from their first loss of NBL25 in spectacular fashion, dominating the visiting Tasmania JackJumpers with a commanding 109-76 victory on Saturday.

Returning to the WIN Entertainment Centre after a disappointing defeat to the Adelaide 36ers, the Hawks wasted no time establishing control. They surged to a quick 12-2 lead and never looked back, pushing their advantage to over 20 points in the second quarter and ultimately leading by 32 by the end of the third.

This impressive win improved the Hawks’ record to 4-1, showcasing their offensive prowess with 64 points scored in the paint, 24 points off Tasmania’s 18 turnovers, 19 fast-break points, and 18 second-chance points from 21 offensive rebounds.

Sam Froling was a standout performer, racking up 21 points and five rebounds, while Tyler Harvey ignited the offense early, contributing 19 points. Darius Days added 15 points, eight rebounds, and four steals, with Davo Hickey also scoring 15 points along with eight boards and three assists. Trey Kell III and Hyunjung Lee each chipped in with 10 points. Wani Swaka Lo Buluk excelled defensively, limiting Milton Doyle to just four points and seven turnovers.

Hawks coach Justin Tatum emphasised that his team deserves more respect, especially after this convincing win. "We’re the highest-scoring team in the league and one of the deepest," he said. "There should be some respect factor there, and we’re playing well right now. We’re happy with where we’re at, but we know we can get even better."

The loss marked a tough start to the season for the JackJumpers, now sitting at 2-3. They faced their biggest defeat ever, struggling with a -17 rebounding margin. Jordon Crawford led Tasmania with 19 points and five assists, while Will Magnay added 11 points and Majok Deng contributed 10 points and three steals.

JackJumpers coach Scott Roth acknowledged the Hawks' dominance, stating, "It was just an old-fashioned butt-whooping. The energy and effort they played with, we didn’t come close to matching." He praised the Hawks, saying it was "very fun to watch" their performance.

After a sluggish start against Adelaide last week, the Hawks were determined to come out strong. They quickly built a 24-10 lead with a four-point play from Harvey, finishing the first quarter ahead 32-15. Although there were moments of fightback from the JackJumpers, including Crawford’s 15 points at halftime, the Hawks maintained their momentum, leading 57-39 at the break.

The second half saw the Hawks continue their onslaught, outscoring Tasmania 27-13 in the third quarter, leading to a final margin of 33 points.

The Hawks will next face the Cairns Taipans on the road, while the JackJumpers will host the Sydney Kings in Launceston on Friday night.

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