BASKETBALL
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Those struggling Wollongong Hawks finally won a game again on Friday night at WIN Entertainment Centre. Now comes the tricky bit - avoiding the wooden spoon.
Playing their best game of the season, the Hawks snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 93-82 demolition of star-studded Melbourne.
Wollongong’s win was just their fourth of the season and provided a glimmer of hope in their bid to climb off the bottom of fhe ladder.
The Hawks have to win their final five games and hope seventh-placed Townsville (8-15) don’t win again.
Backcourt generals Gary Ervin (20 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals) and Rhys Martin (20 points, three steals) were superb, Oscar Forman (22 points, 9/12 field goals) rediscovered his deadly shooting stroke, while Jahii Carson (10 points, two steals) and Tim Coenraad (nine points) also played key roles in the victory.
A crowd of just under 2000 saw Wollongong lead by as many as 27 before Melbourne made a fourth-quarter run to make the margin a little more respectable.
’’We got great contributions from every single person that stepped on the court tonight, we moved the ball well, and we got on the boards,’’ Forman said.
’’There’s a lot of loyal fans that come every week and this is for them as much as us. We’ve been working hard and it’s nice to get something from it.’’
Melbourne coach Darryl McDonald would have to be concerned with his side’s poor performance with so much at stake.
Adelaide coach Joey Wright and Perth coach Trevor Gleeson would’ve both been cheering the Hawks’ triumph, knowing it boosts their team’s chances of a top four finish and significantly hurts Melbourne’s.
Jordan McRae top-scored for Melbourne with 27, while Stephen Dennis and Nate Tomlinson finished with 14 apiece.
The Hawks enjoyed a perfect start, bolting to a 13-3 lead and forcing McDonald to call his first time-out after three minutes.
Coenraad scored his team’s first four points before Forman took over with a nine-point burst, as the margin swelled to 16.
Centre Larry Davidson grabbed almost every defensive rebound, while Forman made all six of his shots to help the Hawks to a 28-15 quarter-time lead.
Wollongong made 62 per cent of their field goal attempts compared to a horrible 29 per cent for the visitors. They also boasted a glaring 13-5 rebounding edge.
The tempo slowed in ths second period and both teams relied more on half-court offence.
Melbourne cut the margin to eight before the Hawks defiantly hit back with another surge to be up by 18 with two minutes left in the half.
They maintained momentum as the seconds wound down and fully deserved their 47-31 half-time lead.
Forman’s 14 first-quarter points led Wollongong and Martin was up to 13.
Ervin had eight points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Coenraad and Carson combined for 12 points.
Impressive as they were in the opening two quarters, the Hawks found another gear in the third period.
The knocked down 11/20 shots, including a crowd-pleasing dunk by Carson.
When Martin nailed a three in the dying seconds, Wollongong’s lead was 76-49 and the game was effectively over.
The Hawks have little time to savour victory. On Saturday morning they will board a Cairns-bound flight for Sunday’s clash with the Taipans.