Round 12: JackJumpers vs Hawks

A trip to the Apple Isle and a Thursday night matchup with the JackJumpers awaits the Hawks in our final fixture before the Christmas break.

My State Bank Arena presents as bit of a challenge for road teams as there is in the league, and the Hawks will have to earn the W in front of a loud and proud Tasmanian crowd.

Coming off a close encounter against the Kings, the boys gave Melbourne United all they could handle before eventually going down 88-77.

It was a familiar tale for the squad, who let United lead through the first half before a dominant third quarter had us within striking distance going into the last.

Michael Frazier and Sam Froling did their best to drag the Hawks across the line; however, some costly turnovers and some big hits late from milestone man Chris Goulding ensured the side would have to wait another week for win number three.

Deng Deng set social media and the Hawks bench alight with a thunderous dunk in the first quarter, and Dan Grida scored his first points since returning to the active line-up on Friday night.

 Keep a Hawk Eye On

Michael Frazier II.

Hawks management was confident that Frazier's arrival would provide a much-needed shot in the arm to a squad yearning for a multi-level scorer.

Frazier has been all that and more in his first five games of NBL23, currently sitting fourth in scoring across the league at 20 points per outing.

The Hawk's offense has gone to another level since Frazier's arrival behind his ability to create his own shot and facilitate for others.

His match-up with Milton Doyle will go a long way to deciding the result in Tassie, and the Hawks will need Frazier's best at both ends of the floor to head home to the Gong with the win.

Opposition Watch

After a slow start to NBL23, the JackJumpers are back to their grit and grind best as they approach the halfway mark of the season.

There is no better home-court advantage in the competition than MyState Bank Arena, and the JackJumpers have made it a fortress for travelling teams to the Apple Isle.

Tasmania is led by Milton Doyle, Jack McVeigh, and Josh Magette, with Doyle amongst the favourites for All-NBL first-team honours.

The JackJumpers sit right on the bubble of the play-in tournament and will be looking to rebound from a close loss to the 36ers earlier in the week.

How to Watch

Catch all the action from 7:30pm AEDT on ESPN via Kayo & Foxtel.

Hawks Socials

Follow all the action from Thursday’s game, on the Hawks social media channels @illawarrahawks and use the hashtag ‘Hawk Nation’ when you share your pics and stories.