Tough month shaping as finals test for Illawarra

The 26-year-old has spent the bulk of his NBL career being used as a lock-down defender from the bench and expected to play a similar role when Rob Beveridge brought him to Wollongong this season.

However injuries to Rhys Martin, Kevin Lisch and Tyson Demos at various stages of the season have seen White play a much bigger role than he expected at both ends of the floor, including running the offence as starting point-guard.

It’s a role he’s held onto even after Martin’s return from injury with Beveridge loath to tinker with a formula that’s delivered his side seven wins from their past nine games.

Asked if he imagined he’d be directing the likes of Lisch, Penney and Ogilvy around in a title-contending team when he shifted south from Sydney White said: ‘‘No not at all, it’s not something you think about as a role player.

‘‘You always think it’d be nice to be doing this or that but to actually be running the team and to be starting at point-guard when everyone’s playing really well is pretty special.

‘‘It’s just fun and it’s part of what Bevo’s built here.

‘‘Rhys is probably used to starting and I’m used to coming off the bench but we’ve both found roles that we’re really comfortable with and it works for this team.

‘‘No matter whether I was coming off the bench or starting it’s about playing your role and buying into that.

‘‘Championship teams have that and I think that’s what we’ve got here.’’

The next month promises to provide a huge test of the Hawks championship credentials with home and away clashes against New Zealand followed by a trip to Perth.

The trip west will be followed by home away games against Adelaide who are looking to force their way into the the top four.

White said it’s vital the Hawks kick off the run with a win at home on Thursday.

‘‘It’s massive because if we get the win here we have the split on them and we don’t have to worry about points differential,” he said.

‘‘It also puts another game between us and them in terms of third and fourth spot.

‘‘The way Adelaide are playing, and we still have to play them three times, it’s a massive game for us to try and go 3-0.

“Then we get a free crack at them over there with a chance to go 4-0 to split the ladder that little bit more down the stretch.

‘‘It’s a perfect time for us to really test ourselves a month out from finals.

‘‘We’re going to get a game at home and a game on the road and that’s how we’re going to need to play a finals series.

‘‘Then we have to go over to Perth and take on probably the best team in the competition when it comes to play-off basketball.

‘‘We’re playing who we see as the one and two teams on the road right before finals at a very fitting time for us to really see where we’re at.’’