Leg weary from a 123-122 quadruple overtime defeat to the defending premiers on Friday, Illawarra were dominated from start to finish in a 101-61 defeat to the Wildcats at Perth Arena.

New import Terrico White was chief destroyer for the hosts with a game-high 20 points while Bryce Cotton (15 points) and Nick Kay (14) were also productive.

Former NBL MVP Brian Conklin acted as a lone ranger at times for the Hawks, tallying 17 points.

The American import felt Illawarra’s marathon match on Friday took its toll.

“There is a great quote that goes around that says ‘fatigue makes cowards of us all’ and that’s what it kind of turned into in the second half for us,” Conklin said.

“ [Coach Rob Beveridge] was asking in timeouts for certain things to get done and we just didn’t.

“It was because we were fatigued, not because someone wasn’t gelling or someone didn’t have good chemistry around the group.

“When you fatigued, sometimes you’re just not thinking.

“You are stuck in your habits and you muscle memories. That’s what happened to us in the second half.”

Jordair Jett (13 points) and Tim Coenraad (10) were the only other players to crack double digits on a disappointing trip west for Illawarra.  The Wildcats had amassed a double digit lead inside the first seven minutes and never looked likely of relinquishing the ascendancy.

A mid-range jumper from former Hawk Nick Kay made it 21-11 and they carried a 12-point advantage into the first break courtesy of a late Angus Brandt lay-up.

Illawarra did their best to stay with the hosts in the second quarter until White came off a screen and drained a three to give Perth a 38-26 buffer.

Conklin was at his bruising best inside for the Hawks and hit eight straight for his side midway through the term.

But a 16-2 run late in the quarter, capped off by a three point play from Brandt, put the ledger virtually beyond doubt at 56-34 at the main break.

It was all one way traffic in the second half.

Cotton extended the margin to 30 points with an easy lay up five minutes into the third quarter and the lead remained at 29 at the final change.

That advantage got as high as 48 points when Greg Hire drained a three in the fourth before Illawarra showed some late fight to narrow the margin. 

The loss sees the Hawks fall to 0-2 to start the season, but coach Rob Beveridge remains adamant his squad will rebound. 

“What I know is, despite us getting our arses handed to us, we have a lot of high character people and we are going to stick together,” he said.

“We are not going to point the finger at anybody in the team or the coaching staff or any excuses.

“We are going to come together as a group.”