HAWKS sharp-shooter Kirk Penney has attributed his side's 108-point blitz of Townsville on Saturday to their focus at the defensive end of the floor.
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The Hawks cracked the 100-point barrier for the first time this season to take their tally to 6-6 and they can leapfrog Adelaide into fourth place if they can beat league leaders Melbourne in Wollongong on Thursday.
Penney posted 31 points - his second 30-plus score at the WEC this season - while Kevin Lisch (15), AJ Ogilvy (13), Tim Coenraad (12) and Oscar Forman (10) all reaching double-figures on night where the entire 10-man roster made their way onto the sheet.
It was a thrilling offensive display but Hawks also managed to restrict the Crocs to just 70 points - their best defensive effort this season - and won just their second rebound count 37-30.
Penney said it was those efforts that fed into their potency at the other end.
"All our focus is defence and rebounding. It really is," Penney said.
"But that's putting us in an aggressive frame of mind which is transferring to the offence.
"I don't think many of us are going into it with an offensive mindset other than getting up the floor.
"It's just resulting in this aggressive offensive system.
"You guys can see it and we can feel it and we're learning to play together really well.
"We know how we need to start games, we need to start really aggressive and really intense.
"Bevo's been telling us that for weeks but we're finally understanding it.
"I think that Sydney game gave us a lot of confidence and then [Saturday] again...I think we can feed of this and hopefully keep bringing it against Melbourne on Thursday.
"We have a big challenge coming on Thursday to really see how we're going."
Coach Rob Beveridge also praised his side's effort without the ball and their inside presence.
“I think it was the defence that actually set us up to become a really good offensive team,” Beveridge said.
"People say we're the worst defensive team, the worst rebounding team in the league but the last two game we've won the rebound [count].
"We're getting on the glass and playing with so much passion and that's all you can ask of the players.
"We had 48 points in the paint at 70 something per cent and that's just outstanding,”
The win didn't come without an injury scare with star centre AJ Ogilvy limping from the court in the third quarter and taking no further part in the match.
With Rhys Martin, Cody Ellis and Tyson Demos already sidelined by injury the Hawks could ill-afford to lose Ogilvy but Beveridge allayed fears post-match.
"I was extremely worried. I thought he got hit and might have been ligaments and he subbed himself out,” Beveridge said.
“But the medical staff checked him out and he's just banged knees so he's fine which is a big relief."