BASKETBALL
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The Illawarra Hawks are expected to finalise their playing roster this weekend with the signing of an Australian-born forward.
Despite having room for a second import, the Hawks will play next season with just one - classy American guard Kevin Lisch.
Illawarra have nine players under contract and coach Rob Beveridge confirmed on Friday that he had effectively completed his team by securing a 203cm forward with NBL experience.
"We're going down the path with a big Aussie," Beveridge said.
"We were to-ing and fro-ing about what to do there, but my gut feeling tells me to hold off on the import."
While Lisch was a key signing, Illawarra's recruiting of former Sydney Kings centre AJ Ogilvy and 2009 NBL MVP Kirk Penney should ensure Beveridge doesn't have to sweat on adding a second American.
He is prepared to re-think that strategy if one of his frontline players breaks down with injury, but the Hawks are otherwise locked and loaded for their 2015-16 campaign.
"We don't have bucket loads of money, despite what people might think, and we don't have enough to go out and get a real quality import," Beveridge said. "There's a perception out there because I've signed Ogilvy, Lisch and Penney that all of a sudden we're rolling in money, and it's just not the case at all.
"I've been very lucky that I've got good relationships with those guys and they'd get a lot more money elsewhere. I feel pretty humble that they want to play for us."
The new season gets underway in October.
The Hawks finished at the bottom of the ladder for just the second time in club history last season, winning six of 28 games.
A championship-winner with Perth in 2010, Beveridge has taken over from former coach Gordie McLeod and kept five players from last year's team.