All games were "crucial must wins" for an Illawarra Hawks outfit languishing in last place on the NBL ladder.
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So said Hawks coach Jacob Jackomas ahead of his team's showdown with Melbourne United at WIN Entertainment Centre on Saturday night.
Illawarra head into the clash against the eighth-placed United (2-4 win/loss record) reeling after a second thrashing from the Brisbane Bullets in the space of four days.
Brisbane hammered Illawarra 82-56 in Wollongong on Monday night and repeated the dose on Thursday on their home court, trouncing the Hawks 86-61.
The loss, Illawarra's third on the trot, means the Hawks head into the Melbourne clash having won only one of their seven games to date.
This "concerning" record is why the Hawks coach is desperate for his side to win their two home games against Melbourne and Adelaide 36ers (Thursday) before the FIBA international break.
"I think [all games] are all crucial. As it goes right now the record is concerning, and they are all must wins," Jackomas said.
"I'm not sure how it pans out for the finals but right now we need to be desperate about playing well. Playing well will lead to wins, winning will lead to the playoffs."
While disappointed his team were blown away by the Bullets twice, Jackomas said getting the Hawks to play better was an "easy fix".
"I think it is a real easy fix. I just think that we've got to buy into competing. We've been out competed the last three games," he said.
I think it is a real easy fix. I just think that we've got to buy into competing. We've been out competed the last three games.
- Hawks coach Jacob Jackomas
"It is an easy fix to say out loud but it is not an easy fix in regards to a mindset of the guys and myself."
Jackomas believed new recruit Peyton Siva would help in this regard and help the Hawks get back to winning ways sooner rather than later.
Siva did well in his first outing for the club, contributing 9 points, five assists and two steals in almost 20 minutes of game-time against Brisbane.
"Now that we've got Peyton in and we start to ease him in hopefully the [poor] form changes in the next game," Jackomas said.
"He is a quality player. I mean I thought he was better than he was last year in the league and I think we've got him in a good space where he has got a bit of a chip on his shoulder coming into this, obviously wanting to be good.
"He is in the perfect spot now where he could really help us with how we are performing."
The coach also expects Siva to free-up Tyler Harvey and help get the ball into the hands of Mangok Mathiang and Sam Froling in positions where they can score more freely.
Froling heads into the Melbourne showdown on the back of one of his worst shooting displays, making just one of 12 shots against the Bullets.
In the post-match press conference the Hawks co-captain said the players were "pissed off with ourselves".
"We're disappointed...we're pissed off at ourselves," Froling said.
"It's probably things we can try and channel towards the next game, but we're not happy."
Froling scored just three points against the Bullets and was benched to start the second half. Brutal in his assessment of his own performance, Froling said he is playing "soft" sometimes and can't "let my poor offensive decisions" dictate his defence.
Jackomas backed his star man to recapture the form that saw him selected for the Australian Boomers, sooner rather than later.
"It's important to remember Sam is young, he is only 22-years-old. But now that he is a Boomer there is an expectation where you've got to deliver both offensively and defensively," he said.
"He is just going through that path of dealing with that expectation first, dealing with the expectation of being one of the better players and a long-term player here on the team.
"Sam is in a battle right now but I think as it goes on he is learning through this and he is just going to get better and better."
Sam is in a battle right now but I think as it goes on he is learning through this and he is just going to get better and better.
- Hawks coacjh Jacob Jackomas
Jackomas said his immediate focus was on beating a "desperate" United outfit.
"Like Brisbane, United have a lot of talented Australian players and a lot of veteran help. The only difference between us and United is we are a youngish team that should be playing fearless and we are not," he said.
Saturday night's game at the WEC tips off at 5.30pm.
Illawarra Sports Awards
The Mercury, in partnership with the Illawarra Academy Of Sport and presenting sponsor Illawarra Credit Union, is hosting the Illawarra Sports Awards, to be held on Thursday, November 10 at the Fraternity Club.
TICKETS: Purchase individual tickets or tables at https://events.humanitix.com/illawarra-sports-awards
NOMINATE: Get your nominations in for the Team Of The Year, Coach Of The Year and Local Hero Volunteer Of The Year
VOTE: Who will win the Mercury People's Choice Award? Read about their achievements HERE and vote.
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
