Hawks ice cold as United claim scrappy win

The Result

Illawarra Hawks 65 - Melbourne United 75

The Story

If you were doing up a highlights tape to show someone who'd never played basketball before what the sport looked like - you probably wouldn't include much on the offensive end of tonight's game.

It was a slow, scrappy and scratchy performance from two of the title chasing teams in this year's NBL - with United claiming the win and snapping a four-game losing streak to overthrow the Hawks 75-65.

The Hawks started the contest well - 'Next Star' Justinian Jessup launching a barrage of sweet stroked jumpers and Deng Adel finishing this slick move to hand the Hawks an early lead.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Grown man finish <a href="https://twitter.com/Foreverdeng?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Foreverdeng</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IllawarraProud?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IllawarraProud</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyAsOne?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyAsOne</a> <a href="https://t.co/Vfcj5tjxCc">pic.twitter.com/Vfcj5tjxCc</a></p>&mdash; Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/1373490293790502915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The fast start allowing Brian Goorjian to go to his bench early with Isaac White, Max Darling and Deng Deng all getting in on the action in the opening term as the Hawks kicked out to a double digit lead.

United coach Dean Vickerman burned an early timeout as he tried to instill some confidence in his struggling side - and the mini-break worked to perfection. United rallying from the deficit to tie it up at quarter time 19-19.

The second quarter saw United lean heavily on star Jock Landale, with the tactic paying off as he continually put paid to the Hawks defence. It took something special from Deng to stop the Boomers big man, meeting him at the rim to deny him another two points.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DengDeng19?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DengDeng19</a> says N?? N??<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IllawarraProud?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IllawarraProud</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyAsOne?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyAsOne</a> <a href="https://t.co/v5KYepZmFi">pic.twitter.com/v5KYepZmFi</a></p>&mdash; Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/1373496911555035139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It took eight points in as many minutes from Tyler Harvey to keep the Hawks within striking distance - with Illawarra fortunate a late three from United was waved away - the halftime score 39-35 to Melbourne.

The second half was a struggle for both sides.

Clunky finishing around the rim, coupled with sloppy ball handling and some interesting refereeing decisions saw both sides lose cohesion and the game almsot ground to a halt.

Adel managed to lay this sweet dime on to AJ Ogilvy - as the Hawks tried to rally from behind.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Skip with the flush ? <a href="https://twitter.com/AJ_Ogilvy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AJ_Ogilvy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IllawarraProud?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IllawarraProud</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyAsOne?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyAsOne</a> <a href="https://t.co/jfX4czbs5w">pic.twitter.com/jfX4czbs5w</a></p>&mdash; Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/1373503994941775889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ogilvy contributing heavily with fellow big Cam Bairstow on the sidelines, the skipper pulling off several one percenter plays and allowing his side second chance point opportunites or turnovers on the defensive end.

A Harvey bomb from 50 feet drained on the buzzer - but again waved away from the officials as United held a a seven point advantage with one to play.

The final frame didn't amount to much for the Hawks - and it wasn't from a lack of opportunity. Time and time again the Illawarra outfit got stops and had open looks, but the ball just wouldn't drop.

A disappointing result for the Hawkies after a week off - going down 75-65.

The Stats

It was a day to forget for many of the Hawks young stars - with the team shooting a season-low 31% from the field and an unimaginable 20% from deep.

The Hawks managed 21 more shots than United - yet still lost the game by 10.

The Hawks took care of the ball well - only turning it over eight times to United's 18. And managed 10 steals to just three. The Hawks also had 20 second chance points.

Jessup started the contest well and finished with a game-high 13 points and also added four steals. Harvey had a rare off night shooting the ball - managing only 4/17 on his way to 11 points while Froling secured another double double with 11 points and 11 boards.

Naar dropped in seven points from only 12 minutes of court time - while skipper AJ Ogilvy had a game the stat sheet only half tells. Ogilvy finished with four points, eight rebounds (four offensive), an assist, two steals and a block.

Adel had four points, four rebounds and two assists while Isaac White, Darling and Deng all had three points in sparing minutes.

The Fallout

"There was a couple of things that stuck out coming into this game and let's get real. We played as good a team as there in this on their home court and we've been on the road for the whole time, a la New Zealand, we go home for a couple days and come back and gotta play em again...its a difficult ask," coach Brian Goorjian said.

"Defensively we hung in there and did what we needed to do. but offensively we just looked fatigued, the cuts were slow, we took quick shots because the process was too difficlt and not having Cam [Bairstow] here today and then getting Ogilvy and Froling with two fouls in the first quarter made me go pretty deep into the bench," Goorjian said.

"It's brutal and its really gonna test us and tonight we just couldn't go where we needed to go physically through the process to get the shots we needed to get against a team like that...[after the hub] we come right back here and play one of the best teams [United], if not the best team, on the road. We go back for a couple of days and we're off to Perth whose top of the ladder. That grind isn't about the practice, it isn't not about a day off, it's just about a mental, travel, packing, unpacking, food, seeing your girlfriend, getting some comfort," Goorjian said.

"I'm pretty lucky to be a leader of a pretty resilient group. When we've been knocked down in the past we've bounced back and kind of shown what we're made of in the next game so I don't think I'll need to drag guys along with me. We're all very proud of wearing the Illawarra Hawks jersey and the style and system we play and we know we didn't stand up to the that tonight. So I think the guys will be rip rearing ready to go come Friday in Perth," captain AJ Ogilvy said.

The Road Ahead

Round 11 – Friday March 26 at 9:30pm AEDT v Perth Wildcats @ RAC Arena, Perth.

As if going to Melbourne to face United wasn't a tough ask - the Hawks next task will be overcoming one of the hardest road trips in sport.

A trip to the West to take on the defending champions is what awaits Illawarra - with the Red Army in fine fettle after watching their Wildcats surge their way to the top of the NBL table after claiming the recent NBL Cup.

The Hawks will be desperately hoping Cam Bairstow can return after missing the United clash, as the boys from the Gong will need all the experience they can muster if they are to overturn a disastrous 17-point drubbing at the hands of the Wildcats last time they met.