Needing one win from their last two games, the Hawks got the job done on their home court, prevailing 81-79 in a match that went down to the wire.

The victory was Illawarra's first over the Wildcats this season, having lost on three previous occasions.

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The result sent a healthy midweek crowd into a frenzy at the WIN Entertainment Centre, the fans vocal throughout the affair to help get their side over the line.

The loss dealt a blow to the Wildcats hopes of finishing on top of the table, the side now needing to defeat current leaders Melbourne United on Friday night and hope they also fall to Adelaide on Sunday.

Tyler Harvey was the star for the Hawks, scoring 27 points, including the three that put the side up for good in the final minute, while Deng Deng was also impressive at both ends of the court.

Hawks coach Brian Goorjian was thrilled with the effort from his team and said the result showed how far they have come this year.

"For once this year I'm kinda lost for words," Goorjian said. "I knew tonight was going to be tough. All the things they present is the advantage of years, tradition, they're so far further down the road than we are right now.

"Tonight was really about competitive spirit, about a culture, about young guys that are just excited in the moment. I know basketball is strategy, but tonight it came down to a passion in the group of not wanting to lose."

Illawarra burst out of the gates in the first quarter, jumping out to a 16-7 lead.

Pressure on the defensive end set the tone for the fast start, Perth turning the ball over three times in the opening stanza.

A timeout from an irate Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson helped swing the momentum back in the visitor's favour, the side scoring eight-straight points while AJ Ogilvy was off the court.

The skipper's return saw the Hawks arrest the slide, the hosts leading 20-16 at the first interval.

The second quarter was tough going for Illawarra, Perth opening with a 13-5 run to hit the lead.

The Hawks would not go away, however, Deng sparking the side into action with an impressive three-point play before he added another two.

Illawarra finished the second with a flurry, Harvey moving to 14 points for the half and Justinian Jessup hitting a late three to see the side head to the main break with a 42-36 lead.

No Perth player was in double figures at halftime, Clint Steindl leading the team with nine points while John Mooney had eight rebounds and six points.

The third quarter was another back-and-forth period, the Wildcats starting fast to level the scores at 44 before the two sides traded blows through the middle stages.

Illawarra mounted a late flurry, turning a 53-52 lead into a 61-54 advantage with seconds remaining before Steindl hit a two as time expired to cut the deficit to five at the final break.

It took Perth less than 60 seconds to level the scores, Steindl nailing another three to silence the crowd.

The tension only grew as the fourth quarter progressed, both sides desperate to secure a vital win.

Points were hard to come by, Daniel Grida earning a valuable three-point play to put the Hawks up four midway through the period.

Illawarra continued to keep their noses in front, each Perth bucket met with a response at the other end of the court.

The Wildcats eventually hit the front with two minutes to play, Jesse Wagstaff landing a crucial three-pointer.

Again, the Hawks responded, with Harvey and Wagstaff trading threes as the match entered the final minute, Harvey landing a dagger to put his side up two.

Trailing by two, Perth had one last chance to level the scores, Mooney missing a long-range buzzer beater.