BASKETBALL
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Delight shows on the faces of the Wollongong Hawks as they celebrate beating the Sydney Kings 69-63 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Saturday. GETTY IMAGES
Just when Wollongong’s rivals thought they had Kevin Tiggs worked out, the Hawks import proved he has another string to his bow.
The scouting report on Tiggs recommended giving him the outside shot, but warned not to let him penetrate to the basket.
Tiggs is certainly more dangerous inside, but he made the Sydney Kings pay on Saturday when they gave him too much room to shoot from the perimeter in Wollongong’s 69-63 road win.
The 29-year-old American chalked up a team-high 18 points in 22 minutes off the bench and knocked down 3/5 shots from three-point range.
He actually made a fourth three-pointer but the basket was waved off after Hawks guard Rotnei Clarke was whistled for an offensive foul on the same play.
‘‘I just take what they give me,’’ Tiggs said.
‘‘I’m a scorer, not a shooter, and there’s a difference. I’m not going to shoot the three every time and I’m not going to just drive every time. I’m going to give you a little bit of both.’’
Sydney import and former NBA player Sam Young tallied a game-high 28 points, but he attempted 10 more shots than Tiggs.
Wollongong coach Gordie McLeod was delighted with Tiggs’ contributions, which also included five rebounds and three assists.
‘‘Kevin made some big baskets and big plays when we really needed it,’’ McLeod said.
‘‘His penetration and finding the shooters on the perimeter, that’s what we need, that’s how we play.
‘‘As a team, that’s how we’ve always tried to play, utilising the pieces we have.
‘‘We run a fairly complex offence and how we want to go at different people and it’s taken the new guys time, but we’re making good progress.
‘‘Kevin’s teammates are starting to get him in some positions to do what he needs to do, and when we do that, it takes pressure off [fellow import] Rotnei [Clarke] and [captain] Oscar [Forman] and the other guys.’’
Clarke scored 16 points and Larry Davidson 10.
Forman tallied nine points and 10 rebounds.
Dave Gruber finished with eight points and five rebounds.
Sydney won the rebound battle 40-36 but made just 2/16 threes (13per cent) compared with Wollongong’s 11/26 (42per cent).
‘‘To get a win on the road, we’re extremely happy and proud of the guys,’’ McLeod said.
‘‘It’s nice to give our fans something, because they support us through thick and thin.
‘‘You have to enjoy every success, because there’s always tough roads ahead.
‘‘We’ll enjoy the win and then get the hard hats back on and get back to work on Monday, because there’s plenty of work to do.’’