Star Guards Get It Done for Hawks

Sam Froling started on fire, Rayan Rupert got his team back into it and then Cam Gliddon lit it up before Justin Robinson took over late in a game full of action at the NBL Blitz with the Illawarra Hawks beating the New Zealand Breakers 85-81.

It was the opening match up on Tuesday night at the Blitz in Darwin and the Hawks started the game on fire scoring the game's opening 16 points before leading by as much as 19 with Froling hitting 12 points of his own in the first quarter.

However, things were only just warming up. French Next Star Rupert was impressive with 11 first half points to keep New Zealand in touch before they hit seven three-pointers as a team in the third quarter.

That was from a team that was shooting 3/22 at one point in the first half and 1/13 from long-range, but that sure turned around and by the time Gliddon hit two more from deep to start the fourth quarter and Jarrell Brantley and Izayah Le'afa joined in, it was the Breakers on top.

However, the Hawks fired back and it was the backcourt combination of Tyler Harvey and Justin Robinson who delivered with the game on the line on the way to the four-point win to keep Illawarra unbeaten at the Blitz and the Breakers winless.

New Zealand dominated the boards with 55 rebounds to 33 for the game including 20 at the offensive end to 10. However, the Breakers did have 19 turnovers to six but after starting 1/13 from three-point land, they went 15/31 while the Hawks struggled at 5/25 for the night.

Harvey finished off top-scoring for the Hawks with 27 points and three assists with backcourt partner Robinson coming up huge late especially with his playmaking to finish with 13 points and eight assists.

Froling ended up with 19 points and seven rebounds after his hot start with Deng Deng spectacular with eight points, six rebounds and three steals.

Rupert top-scored for New Zealand with 17 points and eight rebounds while Gliddon hit 4/6 from three-point land for 15 points and three assists.

Tom Vodanovich added 13 points and four rebounds, Le'afa 13 points and nine assists, and Jarrell Brantley nine points and eight boards.

It was a stunning start to the contest from the Hawks led by Sam Froling. While Tyler Harvey scored first, Froling then drained a three ball before turning his focus to inside hitting three consecutive baskets including converting an and-one.

After his 10 straight points, Illawarra led 12-0 before good finishes from Deng Deng and Mangok Mathiang made it 16-0 before finally after six minutes New Zealand scores with a three ball from French Next Star Rayan Rupert.

However, it didn’t deter the Hawks and it was fitting that Froling hit the last bucket of the opening term to give him 12 points with Illawarra leading 27-10.

The Breakers then started the second quarter more encouragingly including a three-point play from Cam Gliddon and triple from Izayah Le'afa.

Rupert continued his strong first half with another three-pointer to take him to 11 points before a thunderous alley-oop throwdown from Dererk Pardon on the inbounds pass from Le'afa just seconds after he was spectacularly blocked down low from Mathiang.

However, the Hawks closed out the half with a trademark three ball from Tim Coenraad to lead 44-33 at the break.

New Zealand's shooting might have been wayward for much of the first half, but it was anything but the case in the third quarter and they opened up with triples from Rupert and Gliddon.

Le'afa, Rupert and Gliddon then all hit another three-pointer apiece for the Breakers before Tom Vodanovich closed out the quarter with two triples and suddenly it was just a three-point ball game at three quarter-time.

The hot Breakers shooting then continued to start the fourth term with Gliddon hitting a couple more, Jarrell Brantley and then Le'afa knocking down another from near halfcourt.

After being down by 19 earlier, New Zealand was now leading by six and it was up to the Hawks to respond and they did starting with Harvey. Deng Deng then threw down a huge alley-oop dunk and Harvey hit a three to put his team back up three.

It set up a grandstand finish and Brantley hit from long-range to put New Zealand back on top before Justin Robinson stepped up for Illawarra to set up Froling and then score himself. He then set up Deng for another dunk too and from the Hawks steadied to win by four.

Day 6 at the NBL Blitz in Darwin on Wednesday will start with the Sydney Kings playing South East Melbourne Phoenix while Melbourne United will then be facing the Perth Wildcats.

The Hawks will finish their Blitz campaign on Thursday against the Adelaide 36ers while the Breakers will be in action again on Friday against the Sydney Kings.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL BLITZ – DAY 5

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 85 (Harvey 27, Froling 19, Robinson 13)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 81 (Rupert 17, Gliddon 15, Le'afa 13, Vodanovich 13) 

BOX SCORE