Illawarra Hawks women face a crucial double-header this weekend after keeping their NBL1 East finals' hopes alive with a 'gutsy' last-start win away to Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
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With their season on the line the Hawks dug deep to hold out a fast-finishing Sea Eagles, with player-of-the match Tyler Scaife icing the thrilling 76-75 win from the free-throw line in the dying seconds of the game.
The win improves Illawarra's win/loss record to 10-6 and has coach Tom Cranney confident his fifth-placed team can secure the one more win they need to make the play-offs.
The Hawks get two chances to do so on the weekend when they play the second-placed Norths Bears (14-4) and ladder leaders Albury-Wodonga Bandits (15-2) on Saturday and Sunday respectively at The Snakepit.
"We knew going into [Manly] that this was going to be the turning point, we either step up here or it is kind of all over for us. They absolutely responded and played one of the best games of the year," Cranney said.
"A week makes such a big difference. We are definitely riding a lot higher now and running with a lot more confidence into the last few games.
"We get two games at home this weekend and then the week after we get a double-header on the road.
"It is a very tough stretch, four games in two weeks but at least it is in our own hands."
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Illawarra will make the finals if they can win one of their remaining four games or if leaders Canberra lose one of their remaining three games.
"We are just taking it one game at a time," he said. "It certainly doesn't change the way we play, we are going to try and win every chance we get but getting that first win will be very crucial.
"The sooner we can get it, the better."
The Hawks men are well-placed to make the finals after they also won their thriller against Manly. Illawarra put together a massive last quarter to overrun the Sea Eagles to win 104-102.
Kiwi Gardner delivered a remarkable individual performance for Illawarra, contributing 47 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists in the win.
The last-start victory has the Hawks (11-7) in third-place ahead of this weekend's fixtures against the second-placed Norths Bears (13-7) and eighth-placed Albury-Wodonga Bandits (8-11).
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