Illawarra Hawks survive thriller at home to remain in hunt for NBL playoffs

The home side was down at half time, but fought back in a see-sawing contest.

Once again, it was Tyler Harvey who handled his nerve in a clutch moment, with his late three-pointer delivering a 71-66 win. It was Illawarra's 14th victory in 2021 and keeps them well in the mix for the NBL playoffs.

Harvey finished the night with 23 points, Justin Simon mustered 12 points and six rebounds, while Deng Deng had 10 points and nine boards. For Adelaide, Tony Crocker led the way with a personal tally of 16 points.

Read more: Coenraad ready to repay the faith after receiving Hawks call up

Tuesday night marked Tim Coenraad's first game with the Hawks since coming out of retirement earlier that day. The 35-year-old - who played more than 300 NBL games for the club - replaced the injured Cam Bairstow on Brian Goorjian's roster.

Tuesday night marked Tim Coenraad's first outing with the Hawks since coming out of retirement. However, the 35-year-old remained on the bench for the whole game.

Sam Froling was first to score, but the 36ers responded with back-to-back three-pointers courtesy of former Hawk Sunday Dech and Daniel Johnson. At the other end, Harvey hit back from long range, before successive Justin Simon gave the Hawks a 9-6 advantage.

With five minutes left, Isaac Humphries ended the Hawks' 7-0 run with back-to-back free throws. But Adelaide's joy was short lived, as the Hawks went on a 12-2 run. Deng's lay up on the buzzer gave Illawarra a 23-10 buffer at the first break.

The 36ers came firing out of the gates in the second, going on a 15-0 run to take a 25-23 advantage with six-and-a-half minutes left.

Harvey broke the run with a run, before Crocker mustered Adelaide's fifth basket from long range that quarter to take the lead back.

The 36ers again surged ahead, going on a 8-2 run, before Harvey, Emmett Naar and Deng scored baskets to cut the deficit to 35-34 with one minute left. Momentum swung back towards the visitors, who took a 38-34 lead into the half-time break.

Harvey led all comers with 13 points at the main break, while teammate Simon had six points, five rebounds and four assists. Crocker scored nine points for the 36ers, while Josh Giddey mustered seven assists and four boards, and Keanu Pinder had eight rebounds.

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The Hawks needed to start well in the third and they did, with Justinian Jessup mustering the first basket, before Adelaide responded through Humphries to lead 40-36.

The big men then stepped up - with Ogilvy and Froling combining for six points - as the Hawks drew level. Daniel Johnson's three-pointer ended the 6-2 run, but the Hawks again responded through back-to-back Ogilvy baskets as Illawarra led 46-45. With four minutes left, Humphries nailed a lay up, before Harvey's free throw again saw the hosts draw level at 47-47.

Momentum continued to swing from end to end, before Giddey's lay up and a Crocker three-pointer gave Adelaide the lead back. Simon's basket then cut the deficit to 52-49, before Deng hit a three-pointer. Simon's late lay up gave the Hawks a 54-52 lead at the final break.

Both teams were cold in offense again to start the fourth quarter, before Crocker and McVeigh's three-pointers saw Adelaide take the lead. Once again, it was Simon who ignited the home crowd with a big dunk to get the margin back to 58-56.

The game continued to be an arm wrestle, with Adelaide taking a 61-58 advantage, before Harvey's basket from long range saw the Hawks draw level again. Jessup's jump shot, plus free throw, gave the Hawks a 64-61 lead. Both teams then traded three-pointers, as the Hawks led 67-66.

With under a minute left, it was Harvey who drained a clutch basket from long range to give the Hawks a 70-66 lead. Jessup's free throw rounded out the win.