Hawks Down Breakers for Much-Needed Win

Tyler Harvey and Justinian Jessup handled business as the Illawarra Hawks came from behind for a 102-87 win they just had to get against a severely undermanned New Zealand Breakers at MyState Bank Arena on Tuesday night.

Despite missing five crucial players, the Breakers weren’t willing to hand anything to the Hawks on this night in Hobart. New Zealand was able to start the second half strongly and were able to build a 57-51 to put the onus back on Illawarra to respond.

The Hawks did just that and dominated the rest of the third quarter outscoring the Breakers 28 points to 10. Illawarra finished the job too and from that moment they were down six, they outscored New Zealand 51-30.

Jessup scored 14 of his 23 points in the second half while Harvey finished with 19 points and five assists as the Hawks tied the Sydney Kings on a 10-7 record and moved back into the top four on percentage after 13 rounds of the NBL season.

Sam Froling added 13 points and six rebounds for the Hawks, Duop Reath 12 points and four boards, Antonius Cleveland 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Harry Froling 12 points off the bench.

Hawks coach Brian Goorjian said his side’s defence was pivotal to them breaking clear of the Breakers after half-time.

"We had some advantages, they had some guys out and we're coming in here desperate but I just feel like when we take a couple punches or don't run away [with the win] early then we get on our back foot but tonight I like the way we grinded it," Goorjian said.

"This team came in like they did the last time, there was a confidence about them playing against us. We struggled with them last time and they gave it their best shot. 

"I think they took leads at times but I like that we just stayed in there and we kept battling, kept fighting. And when we opened up the game, we did so off some steals and some deflections off the defensive end. 

"We're starting to get more contribution deeper into the bench than we did at the start of the year. I like the will and the want of the team over the last two weeks more than I have throughout the start of the season."

The Breakers were without Yanni Wetzell (back spasms), Rob Loe (FIBA duties), Will McDowell-White (concussion protocols) and Ousmane Dieng (wrist) for different reasons with Tom Abercrombie also still sidelined.

However, rising star Kyrin Galloway (16 points, five rebounds) and emerging big Sam Timmins (nine points, six rebounds) gave their all in the paint showing they both have plenty of future potential.

French guard Hugo Besson scored a team-best 20 points along with seven rebounds and three assists.

Chasson Randle also played his best game for the Breakers with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists with Peyton Siva producing 12 points and eight assists, and Finn Delany 12 points and five rebounds.

Breakers coach Dan Shamir liked the effort of his side and the way Galloway and Timmins attacked the contest.

“We’ve had a tough stretch the last 10 days struggling with injuries. We missed five players today, one for a good cause in Rob with the Tall Blacks - it was challenging coming in without those five and you know it won’t be easy," Shamir said.

"We played with a lot of effort and those things up to 60-60 but they had a run that we didn’t recover from. You want to be critical of yourself as a player and a coach and you want to get better but we are in a tough spot. 

"I think we could have done better but at the same time, they gave it everything they have."

Siva’s reach-around pass to Galloway for a lay-up early as the two sides traded baskets for much of the first quarter with Randle’s bucket just before the buzzer putting the Breakers up 21-20 at quarter-time.

The offensive fireworks continued in the second quarter and neither side could take a real advantage with Jessup’s shot late in the quarter putting the Hawks up 49-47 at half-time.

Jessup continued firing in the third quarter with two threes in succession and a transition dunk which saw the Hawks lead 72-60.

The Breakers tried to close the margin with Siva setting up Galloway for a three-point play but Xavier Rathan-Mayes scored a ridiculous running, one-handed three on the buzzer to see the Hawks up 79-67.

The Breakers couldn’t keep with the Hawks in the last term as coach Dan Shamir’s frustrations boiled over seeing him receive a bench technical foul while Harvey, Jessup and other Hawks kept scoring to claim a comfortable win.

The Breakers play Tasmania JackJumpers at the Silverdome in Launceston on Saturday evening while the Hawks visit South East Melbourne Phoenix at John Cain Arena on Sunday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 13

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 87 (Besson 20, Galloway 16, Randle 15)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 102 (Jessup 23, Harvey 19, S Froling 13) 

BOX SCORE