WOLLONGONG launched a scoring onslaught to split their double-header in a fiery weekend against Perth.
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The Roller Hawks are fourth on the National Wheelchair Basketball League ladder at 4-2, but have two games in hand to catch the Wheelcats.
Perth held on to win 66-64 in the first clash, but the Roller Hawks responded to prevail 88-81 on Sunday.
In a tense final quarter, captain Brett Stibners was fouled out with seven minutes remaining, before Tim Markcrow’s day also ended early.
“A couple of bad decisions by myself at the start of the game made it difficult to play the way I need to, to help out the team,” Stibners said.
“And a couple of calls from the referee saw me sitting on the sideline but the guys who came in, especially Brad (Fisher) and Tim (Markcrow) played very well.
“We were unlucky that we didn’t win in the end.”
Roller Hawks big man Andrew Tarrant battled hard to keep his team in the contest grabbing five of his 12 rebounds in the final quarter.
However, he picked up a technical foul with a minute left in the game.
Coach Jim Williams also picked up a technical during heated exchanges.
Perth surged to a 12-point lead midway through the first quarter, before the Hawks closed the gap to eight at the break.
Wollongong then controlled the game in the second term to level it up at 35-all at half-time. Perth captain Shaun Norris proved difficult to contain and he finished with a 38-point and 19-rebound haul.
However, the Hawks returned on Sunday to produce a more free-scoring display to level the ledger with an 88-81 win.
Wollongong shot the ball at 59 per cent from the field, with Brett Stibners (33 points) well supported by Nick Taylor (20 points, six assists), Luke Pople (15 points) and Andrew Tarrant (11 points, 10 rebounds).
Norris continued to be a force for the Wheelcats scoring a triple-double with 52 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. “Containing Shaun Norris is tough especially when he drops 50 on us but we had a great team performance and our players off the bench contributed well,” Roller Hawks point guard Luke Pople said.
“Norris made some big shots down the stretch but we we were able to hit our free throws and close it out.”
Wollongong have a bye, before travelling to Western Australia to meet the Red Dust Heelers.
NATIONAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Ladder: Perth 20, Kilsyth 16, Red Dust Heelers 14, Wollongong 14, Queensland 10, Sydney Metro 6.