Early on in the 2016-17 National Basketball League season, a lot of “experts” had written sides like Illawarra and Cairns off. Didn’t even factor them into calculations.
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As the NBL ladder sits now, Illawarra and Cairns sit third and fourth respectively.
Sure the Hawks had another narrow loss to the Sydney Kings on Monday night, but the Kings are the standard setters in the competition sitting at the top of the table and loaded with talent.
The Kings, as much as we hate to admit it in the Illawarra, are the clear leaders so far this season.
The NBL fixture and standings means winning a “series” against each rival team is important and the Hawks already have the Perth Wildcats and the New Zealand Breakers under their belt.
It has been a remarkable comeback from the Hawks under the guidance of arguably the best coach in the land in Rob Beveridge.
Rotnei Clarke too has returned to the form that set this league alight and won him the league MVP two years ago.
The Hawks play an exciting brand of basketball, which is just a great spectacle. The competition is unbelievably tight though and those fortunes can soon turn.
The Illawarra Hawks play the next four games on the road before their home game against the Perth Wildcats at the WEC on New Year’s Eve. They play Brisbane twice, Cairns and Sydney.
You get the feeling the Hawks need to at least win two of those four road game.but you also get the impression this Hawks unit doesn’t mind a challenge on the road.
They could even be road warriors.
They’ve already broken an 11-year hoodoo in Perth and beaten New Zealand at home.
Nothing is beyond this group let alone the next four encounters on the road starting in Brisbane on Saturday night.
The next home game will be a definite one to put in the diary.
Starting at 5.30 pm pm New Year’s Eve, the game is perfectly position for families to enjoy the game and head outside afterwards to enjoy the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
What better way to bring in the New Year than to boo the arch rivals Perth Wildcats, watching some fireworks on court and going outside to watch some real ones after?
Good luck to coach Beveridge and the Hawks over the coming weeks and we look forward to seeing you at home again on the eve of 2017.
