Dan Jackson at Hawks training. Picture: KIRK GILMOUR
BASKETBALL
Forget predictions, crystal balls and hunches - the Wollongong Hawks plan to let their performances do the talking in the run to the finals.
Wollongong have two games remaining against Sydney and Adelaide and are all but assured of third spot if they win both.
But don't ask the Hawks for any Kobe Bryant-style guarantees about making the playoffs.
"No guarantees just yet. It's just about winning our next game," guard Adris Deleon said of Wollongong's round 23 home game against Sydney this Friday.
Rather than make brash forecasts, the Hawks prefer to stick with NBL great Leory Loggins's favourite quote: "I don't predict, I just produce".
"You won't be getting guarantees, but we're definitely going to come out and do as good a job as we can," forward Dan Jackson said.
"I'm sure you'll see everyone's best effort and hopefully that'll be enough on the night."
After beating the Kings by three at home in the opening round, the Hawks lost in Sydney by 14 in round six and by seven in round 11.
Wollongong have to win Friday's game by 19 to claim the regular season series.
"If it turns out we win this game and the next one [against Adelaide], the series against Sydney will be less important, but one of our goals at the start of the year is to win as many series as we can," Jackson said.
"If we can get this series that'd be nice, but our main concern is just winning the game at the moment."
The Hawks hope to play in front of their loudest crowd of the season.
"We shouldn't have any problem getting up for a do or die game for the playoffs against the Sydney Kings," Jackson said.
"If you're playing for the Hawks and you can't get up for this one, you're in the wrong place.
"Being at home, we'll obviously take a bit of confidence from that, but it doesn't matter where the games are because you just have to go and get wins at this stage of the year.
"Hopefully we'll get a big, passionate crowd to help us out, but it's on us to do our jobs."
