Man, is he ready to play?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's 1986 and Brian Goorjian is looking across at their star import Eric Cooks at the Ballarat Miners.
Cooks is so laid back by nature, Goorjian as a young coach was waiting to see what Cooks would offer having just arrived from the United States.
He shouldn't have been concerned.
"When the lights come up and he's on the court, Cooks was a winner," Goorjian said.
"He wasn't the best shooter, he might get fouled and have had four from eight from the line all night, but when you needed him to make both shots to win the game, he'd do it.
"If there was a 17-foot jumper late, he'd make it.
"We lived in rooms next to each other in a pub upstairs in Ballarat for two years and I tell you, I've been lucky to have a lot of great imports as a coach, but he was my first and I'll always appreciate what he did."
Cooks spent 11 years for the Miners, who were a dominant force in the South East Australian Basketball League, while Goorjian became coach at the Eastside Spectres in the NBL in 1988.
From there, Cooks went on to play and coach with the Illawarra Hawks, leaving a lasting legacy, as well as raising his sons Dominique and Xavier around the courts at the Snakepit and WIN Entertainment Centre.
Fast forward to Friday night and here Xavier is wearing the despised purple and yellow of the Sydney Kings back in Wollongong against the Hawks.
These are the three biggest games between the NSW arch-rivals since the Kings swept the Hawks in the 2005 grand final series.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. Cooks and Angus Glover were products of the Illawarra system before pursuing goals in the US College system.
But the ongoing turmoil and uncertainty at the Hawks before the new ownership took over last year, pushed them to take their careers to the other end of the Freeway Series.
So here we are, there will be only one winner, one team to qualify for the grand final series against either Melbourne United or debutants Tasmania.
Us or them, them or us.
Gordie McLeod, a Hawks player in their inaugural season and coach in the grand final series in 2009-10 where they lost to Perth, marvels at the career development of both Cooks and Glover.
"They have unbelievable stories," McLeod said from his home in Cairns.
"Xavier was just a young kid when I was coaching and to see him become the player he is, it's just incredible.
"And Angus had so many setbacks with his knee injury and now he's found his way in a deep Kings roster, it's wonderful to see.
"They'll be very comfortable coming back to Wollongong and playing, even in that environment, it's going to be such an exciting series."
Whatever the result, with game two in Sydney on Sunday and a decider in Wollongong on Tuesday if required, McLeod declared Illawarra basketball deserves enormous credit.
"Cookie's impact with the Hawks has been enormous, Dom played at the Hawks and Xave obviously came through the junior system," McLeod said.
"And Allan and Mandy (Glover) have been involved for years with the Illawarra association. This rivalry with the Kings has evolved over the years, just like the league has.
"The Illawarra has been kicked in the guts that many times just trying to stay in the competition, so it's great to see a series like this shine a positive light on the region."
The Hawks rebuild, making the semi-finals last season after facing collapse the previous year, and the talent of Glover and Cooks are all ingredients in the main course which will be Friday night's showdown in front of a packed crowd.
There have been on-court tensions, over-time thrillers and extraordinary referee criticism from Sydney coach Chase Buford along the way.
Had Ian Clark not put his foot on the sideline before making a three with as many seconds on the clock in their final regular-season game on Sunday, game one would have already been played in Sydney on Wednesday night.
But Goorjian now has to find a way of stopping Cooks, who had 20 points and 14 rebounds in the 87-84 loss.
The Kings have won four of their past five games in Wollongong, to edge ahead in the overall head-to-head games at WIN Entertainment Centre 20-19.
NBL statistics reveal the Hawks have outscored the Kings in all four fourth quarters, but the Hawks have been called for 17 more fouls leading to 40 more free-throws to the Kings.
After Hawks guard Antonius Cleveland took out the NBL's Defensive Player of the Year award on Wednesday, Goorjian admits the containment strategy will have to be effective against Cooks.
"He attacks in so many areas," Goorjian said.
"He attacks your players defensively, he's all over the offensive rebounds, when the play breaks down he can make it happen, he's multi-purpose and can do a range of things.
"Since I've had him involved in the Boomers program, I've been so impressed with him. He's coming into the team with the NBA players and has shown he's a serious, serious player, as has Duop Reath.
"Xavier reminds me a bit of his dad, he has a relaxed temperament but he knows how to win."
NBL PLAY-OFFS
ILLAWARRA HAWKS (2nd) v SYDNEY KINGS (3rd)
Game one: Friday, WIN Entertainment Centre (7.30pm)
Game two: Sunday, Qudos Bank Arena (3pm)
Game three (if required): Tuesday, WIN Entertainment Centre (7.30pm)
To read more stories, download the Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.