NBL1 Recap 1 & 2 July

The Illawarra Hawks won back-to-back games in the NBL1 East competition over the weekend.

Davo Hickey returned for the Illawarra Hawks on Saturday and produced a scorching performance to lead his team to the 102-84 win against the Bankstown Bruins.

Hickey is readying himself for another NBL season and showed just how much he benefited from his increased minutes in NBL23, and what he could be capable of looking to NBL24. Scoring 38 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals on the back of shooting 9/13 from the field, 2/2 from beyond the arc and then a remarkable 18/19 at the free-throw line.

Tim Coenraad added 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists, Harry Morris 11 points and five boards, Noah Pagotto 10 points and four rebounds, and Frederick Webb six points, six assists and five boards.

Davo Hickey was tremendous again and got plenty of help from his NBL teammate Harry Morris as the Illawarra Hawks scored the 94-68 Sunday win on the road to the Penrith Panthers.

Hickey with 24 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks with another 10/15 from the foul line.

Harry Morris also produced 20 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks, Frederick Webb 11 points and four assists, Philip Dopud nine points, five rebounds and two blocks, and Ethan-James Laudato nine points and four boards.

The Illawarra Hawks are headed to Maitland next Saturday as they face the Mustangs, tipping off at 7pm. Backing up on Sunday in Newcastle for another double header weekend, tipping off against the Falcons at 3pm.

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk was lead point scorer for the Sydney Comets with his side scoring the last 10 points of the game to beat the Newcastle Falcons 79-74

The Falcons were leading by as much as seven in the third period and still in control up 74-69 with five minutes on the clock. However, the game then underwent quite the dramatic transformation starting with a jumper for the Comets from Wani Swaka Lo Buluk.

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk ended the night with 22 points, five rebounds and two steals.

The Comets also faced a double header, going down to the Albury-Wodonga Bandits 74-86. Wani Swaka Lo Buluk top-scored for the Comets with 17 points to go with five rebounds.

The Sydney Comets hit the road for a clash with the Bankstown Bruins on Friday 7 July, tipping off at 8pm.

Mason Peatling’s Knox Raiders moved further clear on top of the NBL1 South with a hard earned 85-80 home victory against the North West Tasmania Thunder.

Knox came into the game in top spot having won the last five matches, with Peatling contributing nine points, seven rebounds and six assists.

The Knox Raiders are at home against the Diamond Valley Eagles on Friday 7 July, tipping off at 8:30pm.

Lachlan Olbrich led his West Adelaide Bearcats to a thrilling 78-82 win at the Nest to move one win clear at the top of the ladder. Olbrich was outstanding with 24 points, seven rebounds, three assists and steals.

The Bearcats return home on Saturday 8 July against the Eastern Mavericks, tipping off at 8:15pm ACST.