Illawarra rack up biggest score of the season

With only a day’s break following their dramatic 97-96 loss to Melbourne on Thursday the Hawks showed no ill effects shooting out of the gates with 34-point first quarter to lead by 12 at the main interval and by 24 at the final bell.

In a showcase of the depth coach Rob Beveridge at his disposal the entire 10-man roster got on the sheet as the Hawks racked up their biggest score of the season and their fifth 100-plus effort at an impressive 53 per cent from the field.

The NBL’s Benjamin Button Kirk Penney again led the Hawks with 29 points and five assists shooting 6/9 from three-point range.

After fouling out of the Hawks loss to Melbourne AJ Ogilvy returned to form with 19 points while Tim Coenraad (13), Kevin Lisch (12) and Cody Ellis all reaching double figures.

Tom Garlepp led the home side with 18 points while Josh Childress had 17 but the Kings looked utterly out-classed and out-gunned with the Hawks enjoying a double figure buffer for virtually the entire contest.

The win will see Illawarra take plenty of confidence into home and away clashes with New Zealand next week, a series in which they already boast a 2-0 lead.

The Hawks opened up a quick 16-8 lead on the back of 10 points to Penney at a perfect clip from the field as all five starters got on the sheet.

Childress had six in response before Cody Ellis dropped eight points from the bench with Larry Davidson adding four as Beveridge put his entire bench on the floor to chose the quarter with a 34-20 lead.

Lisch opened the second term with a triple while Penney completed a four-point play as the visitors pushed their lead out to 21.

Ogilvy rammed home the advantage with seven straight points to finish the half 11 before picking a technical foul after a fiery exchange with Jason Cadee.

It saw the visitors briefly take momentum with Childress slamming home an alley-oop dish from Rhys Carter to finish the half with 14 points.

Kings coach Joe Connelly also picked up a technical in a fiery end to the half that saw the Hawks lead cut back to 12 at 57-45.

Illawarra turned the third term into a shooting clinic with Penney and Tim Coenraad both hitting a pair of threes and Lisch and Forman both hitting from beyond the arc as the lead swelled to 28 midway through the quarter.

The Hawks cruised past the 100-point mark in the fourth with the entire starting five earning early marks.