Harvey, McGee lead Hawks to vital win

Superstars JaVale McGee and Tyler Harvey combined for 48 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Illawarra Hawks to a second win of the NBL season with the thrilling 85-84 road victory over the Perth Wildcats.

Three-time NBA champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist McGee made four crucial plays in the final minute on Saturday night as the Hawks, coming off a 40-point loss to the South East Melbourne Phoenix, beat the Wildcats by the solitary point.

The seven-foot centre (24 points, 11 rebounds, three assists) waged war with Wildcats big Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (18 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks), who fouled out while attacking the rim with the game in the balance and four minutes to play.

Wildcats captain and games record holder Jesse Wagstaff tried admirably to slow McGee but the American was virtually unstoppable.

McGee put the Hawks ahead with 60 seconds to play, then hit a tough floater on their next trip up the floor for a one-point lead.

Harvey had a huge say in the win for the Hawks too with 24 points, eight assists and five rebounds with 5/13 three-point shooting, along with two crucial free throws late to give his team the three-point edge.

But Perth coach John Rillie's set play was masterful, Elijah Pepper wide open from the in-bound pass for a three-pointer he swished that looked set to send the contest into overtime.

But, with 1.2 seconds on the clock, Kristian Doolittle was fouled for hooking McGee's arms as he attempted to pull in a lob under the basket for the game-winning play.

McGee, 37, missed the first attempt but defied the raucous home crowd to make his second.

He wasn't done, McGee getting a fingertip to Wagstaff's desperate final shot from the ensuing play to seal a dramatic win.

The win improves Illawarra to 2-4 on the season and not only were McGee and Harvey instrumental, but coach Justin Tatum threw an unlikely start to 17-year-old New Zealand teenager Jackson Ball.

The Hawks ended up outscoring the Wildcats by a team-high eight points in the 32 minutes he played for two points and five rebounds with Wani Swaka Lo Buluk adding 11 points on 5/7 shooting, Todd Blanchfield eight points, and Jonah Bolden seven points and eight rebounds.

Lual-Acuil Jr had been enormous in a 24-11 third quarter that swung the contest in the home team's favour.

But, in a game that featured 20 lead changes, Harvey lifted to improve last year's champions who arrived in Perth on a 1-4 record.

Pepper had 12 points for the Wildcats while Ben Henshall, whose late attempted game-winner hit the front of the rim, had 17 points.

However, the pair were part of the 'Cats shooting woes combining for 2/14 three-point shooting on a team that went 5/32, and were just 1/17 going into the half-time break where Illawarra were leading 41-34.

The Wildcats slip to a 4-4 record arrival of import David Duke Jr, who was announced on Friday as the replacement for departed import guard Mason Jones.

The Wildcats are now back on the road for an Ignite Cup match up with the Tasmania JackJumpers on Wednesday while the Hawks return home to host the New Zealand Breakers on Friday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

PERTH WILDCATS 84 (Lual-Acuil Jr 18, Henshall 17, Pepper 12)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 85 (McGee 24, Harvey 24, Swaka Lo Buluk 11)

BOX SCORE