THE Illawarra Hawks are turning back the clock.
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The Hawks are the only foundation club of the National Basketball League.
Since their birth in 1979, the Hawks have seen over 30 other clubs come and go.
Yet, often at times only solely because of the tremendous support this community provides, the Hawks have stood the test of time.
It’s Heritage Round in the NBL and the Hawks will pay homage to its roots by rolling out the strip worn by the originals of 1979.
They play New Zealand twice - at home on Thursday and in the land of the long white cloud on Sunday – wearing the strip.
As skipper Oscar Forman (pictured) showcases, the outfit has stood the test of time well too and the Hawks will wear it proudly.
In their 37 years in the NBL, the Hawks have scaled the mountain of winning a championship only once - in the 2000-2001 season.
There have been other moments when the club has come close to securing the championship.
In 2016, basketball in this country is back in a big way.
It’s always been strong at a junior level and Australian players have long been making a mark on the international stage.
Yet the game at a senior level had faltered.
Not this year.
The product on offer by the NBL this season has been nothing short of first-class.
We’ve seen clubs like Melbourne United and the Perth Wildcats sell out massive stadiums.
The level of basketball being played in the league is as good as its ever been.
As much as the Hawks want to roll out the adage of “take it week by week’', the Hawks have a strong a chance as any team in the league this year.
The brand of basketball the team is playing is as exciting as you could possibly ask for and its winning games.
The home game just before Christmas, which saw the Hawks give 500 tickets to the families of local steelworkers, saw the stadium buzzing as the Hawks cracked another 100-plus game giving the screaming crowd free hamburgers.
If you haven’t been to a Hawks’ game yet, you are missing out.
Don’t leave it too late to jump on the bandwagon because the Illawarra Hawks train is already leaving the station.
