The Illawarra Hawks NBL 1 East men and women outfits both face do-or-die games against the Norths Bears this Saturday.
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The men's side, who finished the regular season in fourth-place with a 14-8 win/loss record, will play their elimination final against the Bears at The Snakepit from 7pm.
The Hawks women on the other hand have to travel to North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre for their elimination final against the third-placed Bears.
The Troy Cranney-coached side wrapped up their regular season last weekend with an 84-71 loss to Sutherland Sharks on Saturday before beating Maitland Mustangs 103-78 the next day.
This saw the Hawks end up with a 12-8 win'loss record and finish the regular season in fifth-place.
Cranney praised his team's efforts down the stretch to secure a finals' berth.
"It was an interesting run home but we did what we needed to do. It's exciting. We are in the finals now and we're going to give it our best," he said.
Cranney said the Hawks would have their work cut out beating the Bears.
"It's going to be tough, they gave us a reality check the first time we played them early in the season," he said.
"They are an incredible defensive team, very strong, physical team, and I don't think we were ready and up to that standard yet and they made us pay for it.
"But we got another crack at them two weeks ago..........we were in good form and I think we learned our lesson. It was another awesome game and very close, it came down to the last possession, but we were able to win [72-70].
"We know we are capable of it but we know in no way is it going to be easy.
"It is do-or-die and you can't afford to lose but at the end of the day it is one game and anything can happen. It doesn't matter who the best team is, you go there on the day and see who shows up, see who can pull it off.
"If anything, the pressure is on them, they finished higher, they have got the home crowd and we're coming in with nothing to lose and we are going to give it a real crack."
Meantime, the Hawks men's outfit coached by Nash Al-Saadi will fancy their chances of beating the Norths Bears for the second time this month.
Just two weeks ago Illawarra, led by a red-hot Kiwi Gardner, beat the Bears 91-77. Gardner strengthened his MVP claims with 31 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals in the Hawks' last-start 94-90 win over Sutherland Sharks.
Al-Saadi will be hoping his star man leads the Hawks to victory on Saturday.
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