Illawarra Hawks' Season Unravels in New Zealand as Finals Hopes Vanish
The Illawarra Hawks will not get an opportunity to defend their NBL championship after their slim finals aspirations were completely extinguished by a determined New Zealand Breakers outfit on Saturday night. Despite a spirited third-quarter fightback, the Hawks fell 106-95 at Spark Arena in Auckland, marking their fourth consecutive loss to the Breakers this season.
Mathematical Elimination Despite Three Games Remaining
Even if the Hawks (11-19) manage to win their remaining three regular season contests, it will not be sufficient to overtake the sixth-placed Tasmania JackJumpers (14-17), who hold a superior points differential over Illawarra. The Breakers (12-19), meanwhile, kept their own faint finals hopes alive with this crucial victory, completing a season sweep against the defending champions.
Coach Tatum's Frustration with Inconsistent Performance
Hawks head coach Justin Tatum expressed clear frustration with his team's performance, which came just 48 hours after an impressive comeback victory over ladder-leader Adelaide 36ers in Wollongong. "I felt we should have played with a little bit more of a sense of urgency," Tatum stated post-game. "I tip my hat off to New Zealand for sticking at it, coming out and playing hard and protecting their home court. Every time we've played them, they've just wanted it more."
Controversial Second-Half Decision Regarding JaVale McGee
One of the game's most discussed moments came when three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee, who contributed 15 points and eight rebounds in just over 13 minutes during the first half, did not see any court time after halftime. McGee was observed sitting on the bench with heat packs on both knees, but Tatum clarified this was unrelated to his decision.
The coach opted for a smaller lineup to try to overcome an 11-point halftime deficit, a move that initially paid dividends as the Hawks reduced New Zealand's lead to just four points entering the final quarter. "It was just the matchups, and we were playing catch up," Tatum explained. "If the score was different, then we probably would have played a different lineup."
Key Performances in Defeat
Illawarra co-captain Tyler Harvey sparked the third-quarter resurgence, scoring 12 of his 19 points during that period while connecting on five three-pointers. Will Hickey delivered another impressive performance, falling just one assist short of a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.
For the victorious Breakers, Iziah Brockington led all scorers with 27 points, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright contributed 23 points despite limited first-half minutes due to foul trouble. The undermanned New Zealand side, missing key players Sam Mennenga, Rob Baker, and Karim Lopez, led from start to finish.
Season of Inconsistency Summarised
Tatum pinpointed inconsistency as the Hawks' primary issue throughout NBL26. "The [last 48 hours] sums up the inconsistency of this group," he reflected. "It has been a little frustrating here and there, but we got a great group of guys in that locker room. They always try to find a way to fix the situation, but inconsistency has been one of our problems."
With their title defence now mathematically impossible, the Hawks face three remaining games to build momentum for next season, while the Breakers continue their unlikely push for postseason basketball.
