Hawks clinch LifeChanger Cup with victory against United

The Illawarra Hawks secured their first piece of silverware for the season on Saturday, after downing Melbourne United 96-90 at John Cain Arena - to take out the inaugural LifeChanger Cup.

Starring for the Hawks in their fifth straight win was point guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes, who scored a game-high 25 points, to go along with nine assists, six rebounds and four steals.

Supporting the Florida State alum was fellow import Antonius Cleveland (22 points, five rebounds and two steals) and Australian Boomer Duop Reath (18 points and nine rebounds).

Apart from those three standouts, the Hawks also dominated two-point field goals (60 per cent to 51), free-throws (91 per cent to 81) and rebounds (42-29).

In the defeat, Jack White (17 points), Chris Goulding (16) and Jo Lual-Acuil (15) all scored in double-figures.

The two sides traded baskets early before Reath found Sam Froling underneath, to put the Hawks up 12-10. 

Rathan-Mayes, starting in place of Tyler Harvey, was the first quarter catalyst, scoring eight points through the opening eight minutes - as the Hawks led 20-17. 

The visitors continued their hot shooting to lead 32-30 at quarter time - marking the highest combined scoring opening term all season and Hawks’ equal highest-scoring period of NBL22. 

The hosts responded in the second with a 16-6 run, to take the eight-point lead. 

But the Hawks rattled off nine of the next 13 points, to close the margin to three (50-47) at half-time. 

Leading the way for the Hawks at the break were Rathan-Mayes and Reath, who had 11 and 10 respectively. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PLAYIN HARD. <a href="https://twitter.com/ac_uno1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ac_uno1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreIllawarra?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreIllawarra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyAsOne?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyAsOne</a> <a href="https://t.co/wnQEQTnDY8">pic.twitter.com/wnQEQTnDY8</a></p>&mdash; Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/1510165916939853825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Canadian Rathan-Mayes kept it rolling in the third, capping an 8-2 with a crafty layup, as Illawarra regained the lead. 

That was extended behind seven straight from Cleveland, including an emphatic two-handed slam.

Midway through the third, the Hawks went up by three thanks to a free-throw by Emmett Naar following the ejection of Caleb Agada after two unsportsmanlike fouls. 

But it was all United for the rest of the third, scoring 12 of the next 14, including a deep triple from Chris Goulding, to hit the front once again.  

Thankfully, Rathan-Mayes hit a three as the siren sounded, to make it 75-71 to Melbourne at the final change. 

Behind tough shots from Cleveland, Justinian Jessup and Rathan-Mayes the Hawks cut the deficit to three before Goulding restored the six-point advantage with a huge three. 

As the clock ticked into the final two minutes, a clutch jumper by Rathan-Mayes levelled it at 88-all. 

That exact same play, involving a Rathan-Mayes and Reath high pick and roll, resulted in another jumper by the former, giving the Hawks the 90-88 lead. 

After Jack White cancelled out that lead, an offensive board and putback by Harry Froling, along with a foul, put Illawarra up by three with 26.1 to play. 

Back-to-back stops defensively, followed by clutch free-throws by Jessup and Rathan-Mayes, sealed the 96-90 win.

Next up for the Hawks, who now sit in second on the ladder, is a trip to Brisbane to take on the Bullets at Nissan Arena on Saturday, April 9 - tipping off at 5.30pm AEDT.