Childress arrived in Australia the best credentialed import the NBL has seen and underlined his class with 34 points and 12 rebounds in a solo act that almost got his side home but for Martin's late heroics.

Hawks centre Luke Nevill produced his best performance in Hawks colours with 14 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes on the court while Jahii Carson top-scored for the hosts with 16.

But it was Martin and Gary Ervin that ultimately sealed the win with the experienced pair combining for 20 points and four assists in the fourth quarter to steal the late win.

The Hawks started strongly on their home floor with Tim Coenraad finding skipper Oscar Forman with an alley oop play for the first points.

Larry Davidson had four early points and had opposing big man Angus Brandt in early foul trouble as the Hawks led 6-2 before the Kings hit back with 10 unanswered points including five to Childress to take the lead at 12-6. Childress finished with seven points for the quarter while Tom Garlepp also added seven as the Kings led 21-13 at the quarter-time.

Two early buckets to Carson cut the the deficit immediately following the resumption before Childress hit back with a gravity-defying spinning layup to push the lead back out to five at 23-18.

With Brandt in foul trouble, Nevill made his presence felt from the bench with back-to-back buckets and a massive rejection on Cody Ellis before slamming home two more points to draw the Hawks within one.

Ervin looked to have taken the lead moments before halftime with a spectacular reverse layup but much to the chagrin of Hawks coach Gordie McLeod, the basket was disallowed with Ervin called for a technical foul.

Nevill finished with eight points and nine rebounds for the quarter as the Hawks cut the lead to 39-37 at the half with Childress' 17 points - six in the in the final three minutes of the second term - keeping the Kings in front. 

Martin drew the Hawks level immediately after the break before Childress netted his first three-pointer of the evening to reclaim the lead at 42-39.

Brandt then produced two quick buckets to give the Kings a six-point buffer midway through the quarter.

Ervin showed plenty of hustle at the defensive end, producing three steals for the quarter, the last of them providing the assist for Carson to notch double figures and cut the Kings lead to 48-46 midway through the third term.

Childress again proved the difference, nailing a jumper and slamming home his seventh rebound for the night to push Sydney's lead back out to six before a pair of free throws to Brad Hill and a late jumper from Adam Ballinger cut the lead to 54-51 at three-quarter time.

The Kings stretched their lead to five on the back of an early basket to Childress and Ellis chimed in with a triple before the Hawks stormed back into the contest on the back threes to Ervin and Martin which gave Wollongong the lead at 64-63 with just over six minutes on the clock.

Ervin's jumper extended the lead to 66-63. Martin hit again from the perimeter to give the Hawks a four-point buffer at 71-67 with four minutes to play and after scores were level late in the contest, hit the go-ahead jumper.

Martin produced the assist for Nevill's jumper which gave the Hawks a four-point buffer with under a minute to play before Ervin hit four late free-throws to seal the 82-77 win.