“That was not my only show” Darius Days

Going 0-5 from long range would prompt most people to put the three-point shot in their back pocket for the night. Most people aren’t Hawks big man Darius Days. 

For 37 minutes of Monday’s loss to Adelaide, the 25-year-old looked in a different postcode to the bottom of the net. In the two minutes that followed, he was 3-4 for 11 points and the Hawks were back within three after trailing by 17 to start the final term. 

The stirring comeback ultimately fell short but, much like that eye-catching smile that rarely leaves his face, Days’ belief in his ability is irrepressible. 

“I'm very confident in myself, my teammates are confident in me, and I put the work in,” Days said. 

“People may not see it, but we definitely put the work in. We don't just go out there and shoot shots just to shoot them. I was put in that position because I worked for that position. I’m going to be confident and not shying away from anything.” 

“I wish we would have won that game, it would have showed a lot of resilience for our team, but there’s more to come. That was not my only show. Hopefully in the future, in these next couple of games or in the playoffs, I make a great impression shooting the ball.” 

Those flashes of brilliance, like his 14 first-quarter points against New Zealand four days earlier, hint at Days’ ability to have a major say in the outcome of games. 

Much like his long-range cameo against the Sixers on Monday, the LSU alum finding his groove is timely for the league-leading Hawks as the playoffs loom.  

For all the brilliance in a backcourt featuring NBL First Team candidates Tyler Harvey and Trey Kell III, and all the dominance of co-skipper Sam Froling inside, many feel getting Days firing consistently is the final ingredient in the championship pudding. 

He doesn’t disagree, but says others are far more interested in whether it’s with the starting group or the second unit than he is. 

“After the FIBA break, I looked into the mirror and understood that they need more out of me,” Days said. 

“I feel like I'm a big X factor and a key for this team. I’ve come off the bench multiple times in my career. Sometimes I've been the [number one] guy, sometimes I've been to fourth option, third option or second option. 

“I've seen everything. I've been the hustle guy, offensive rebounder, just shoot open threes, I’ve played every role. 

“Me coming off the bench has helped the team and helped me as well, just with my confidence, helping me pick my spots better and understand where I can go score the ball. 

“I don't feel anyone in the league’s bench is better than ours. We have a bunch of winners that will do anything on the floor to put ourselves in position to win.” 

They fell short of that mark against Adelaide on Monday after what Days bluntly described as a “terrible” first half, but retained top spot heading into Saturday’s blockbuster one-versus-two clash with Melbourne United in Wollongong. 

It will put top spot on the line and, having set the pace all season, Days feels the Hawks owe it to their fans, and themselves, to finish there come regular season’s end. 

“We’ve definitely put the work in night in and night out and it would be great for us as an organisation, and also for the members and fans, to give them something to be happy and proud about,” Days said. 

“It’s been a long time to finish at the top of the ladder, and we want to do that for the fans and for ourselves to give us momentum going into the playoffs. 

“We're just trying to keep that tempo up and not get complacent. That's the biggest thing, not getting complacent. We've been at the top of the ladder the whole season, top or top two. 

“We’re one game up on Melbourne and we’re trying to stay on top, so we’ve got to get these wins. It’s been 24-25 years since the last championship, so we want to do something special for this city.” 

Unlike most of his teammates, Days wasn’t there for last season’s epic semi-final series against United, but he’s quickly learned things are dialled up whenever the two sides meet. 

“It’s definitely a big game, we're one and one in the series, they beat us here and we beat them at [their] home, so this is going to be a real good one,” Days said. 

“We're the two best teams in the league for a reason, and we’re going to see who's the best team Saturday night.” 

Tip-off at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Saturday is at 8pm.