Round 1: Hawks vs Kings

The Freeway Series reignites this Saturday, October 1st, as the Hawks begin NBL23 against the Sydney Kings at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

Opening night will be five months to the day since the Kings eliminated the Hawks in last season's finals series, a result that burns deep with a Hawks roster looking to springboard their NBL23 campaign with a win at home.

A new-look Hawks line-up, led by head coach Jacob Jackomas, has spent the pre-season building on the up-tempo and defensive-minded game style that has taken the club to the last two NBL finals series.

Sam Froling and Tyler Harvey will again be key contributors, formerly recognised as your Co-Captains for the coming season.

Saturday's opening round is a chance for home fans to see Justin Robinson, George King, Mangok Mathiang, and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk in Hawks colours for the first time.

Keep a Hawk eye on

 Justin Robinson. Robinson has impressed in his early days at the club, leading the Hawks to a 2-1 performance at last week's NBL Blitz.

JR's elite shooting and playmaking will be appointment viewing for Hawks fans at the WEC this season.

The lefty point guard will set the tone on both ends for the Hawks, with Coach Jackomas handing the keys over to Robinson as the team's floor general.

Robinson and his running mate Tyler Harvey present a formidable proposition for opposing teams. The league will be on notice as they look to establish themselves as one of the leading backcourts in the competition.

 Opposition Watch

 The reigning champs return to the court having farewelled a trio of import talent. Hawks fans will recognise a familiar face at the Sandpit on Saturday night, with Justin Simon donning the purple and gold in a new look front line.

The 2020-21 defensive player of the year in his only season in the Illawarra, Simon is one of a host of Kings returning to the region on Saturday night.

The outing will be the first for import duo Derrick Walton Jr. and Tim Soares, while the Kings are led by Coach Buford and Captain Xavier Cooks for a second successive season.

Key Match Up

 The Hawks and Kings might go as far as their talented Aussie bigs will take them this season.

The match-up of Sam Froling and Xavier Cooks could very well decide the result this Saturday night, with both players coming off stellar seasons in NBL22.

Froling is on the verge of establishing himself as an MVP candidate, while the inside/outside game of Cooks saw him named to the All-NBA second team last season.

Both players are a 20 and 10 threat on any given night and will look to set the tone on the defensive side of the ball for their respective squads.

Protect the Pit

We are calling on all of Hawk Nation to turn out in force and "Protect the Pit."

Tip-off 8:00 pm – tickets from $30, and $70 for families, available through Ticketmaster now.