Changes are coming at the struggling Illawarra Hawks.
Head coach Jacob Jackomas promised as much after his Hawks were comprehensively beaten by the Sydney Kings at WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday night.
The 103-83 Indigenous Round drubbing leaves Illawarra with a 2/6 win/loss record heading into their next game away to Cairns next Saturday night.
The Taipans clash is the first of three away games Illawarra have before the Hawks return to Wollongong for a December 8 showdown against the Perth Wildcats.
By that stage the already poor situation could be dire for the Hawks and their under-pressure coach, who has won only five of 36 games since taking over the head-coaching duties from Brian Goorjian at the start of last season.
Jackomas though said there was still belief within the squad that the Hawks could turn their fortunes around but he admitted changes were required to get the team winning sooner rather than later.
"It's not drastic changes. I'm not coming out and making big statements, but something has to change," he said.
"We've got to change ourselves. Now, if that's something I have to do in that space, maybe have to get into the drastic end and there's a scapegoat in this place, you know, in regard to a movement of a starter or someone playing more minutes or someone not playing anymore.
"In fairness, we do have to get something from the playing group in that space as well.
"I always put my hand up and say I got to think of something to get his thing right. But everyone in the room needs to make some sort of change towards a common goal."
His comments came after a poor shooting night by Hawks starting guards Tyler Harvey and Justin Robinson.
The duo combined contributed just 14 points, making only five of the 23 shots they put up against the Kings.
Harvey only made one of his 11 shots and finished with just four points, two of which came from the free-throw line.
Robinson scored 12 points from four of 12 shooting, but eight of those points came late in the final term when the game was already all but won by Sydney.
Jackomas though was quick to state that wasn't the main reason why the Hawks lost.
"I'm not pointing at anyone. Obviously they had a harsh night in that space but we did have Gary [Clark[ who scored well," he said.
"I keep saying the same thing, we're not going to win basketball games with teams scoring 100 points."
The Hawks did well in patches defensively, conceding only 20 and 19 points in the first and last quarter. But they gave up 32 points in the second and third terms. Illawarra were particularly poor in the third term where they were outscored 32-18.
"We just don't buy in defensively for the whole time," a frustrated Jackomas said.
"I guess we got to make guys accountable and I think they've got to make each other accountable a little bit.
"When I say change is needed it is more mindset in change and desperation rather than drastic changes that way."
Gary Glark was the one real bright spot for the Hawks against Sydney.
The big American took home the Tyson Demos Medal for being the Hawks' player-of-the-match, contributing 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Jackomas praised his import but said the Hawks needed similar contributions from his team-mates.
He added the lack of games in November also wasn't necessarily a good thing for the Hawks, especially if there was no signs of the team progressing.
"If we don't move forward in this, it's not good," Jackomas said.
"I'm a bit dark today, we never kick on. I thought there was some progression there [against Melbourne United]....we use that word a lot and today there was no progression.
"We're trying to get guys playing well together and putting them in situations and knowing what to do when certain things happen.[Time] does help but there's got to be some sort of will right now.
"I keep using the word change a lot in that space....that's because there's still a belief in this group, it's not like there's no talent in the room, it's just that we've got to get to the bolts of what rings everyone's bell to do the gritty stuff.
"With time together that does help."
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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.
