United beat Hawks to snap losing run

Even playing without Chris Goulding and losing Shea Ili along the way, Melbourne United got back on the NBL winner's list with a strong showing in a Championship Series rematch with the Illawarra Hawks to win 97-75.

Both teams came into their third meeting of the season after last year's five-game Championship Series needing a win with Melbourne back to John Cain Arena for three straight matches having lost four straight to slip to second place.

Illawarra were just trying to stay in the top six hunt and to book up a solid win over the Brisbane Bullets, but the longer the game went the more control Melbourne asserted including 23 points to eight in the fourth quarter to win by 22.

Melbourne were without Goulding through illness and also lost Ili with an apparent hamstring injury, but had plenty of strong contributions led by 21 points and 10 assists from Tyson Walker.

Finn Delany also had 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals, Tanner Krebs 17 points and three steals, Jesse Edwards 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, and Milton Doyle nine points, five boards and four assists.

It was a tough night in the end for Illawarra with the defending champs slipping to a 6-11 record despite 18 points and 10 rebounds from JaVale McGee before he left the game with a nasty poke to the eye in the fourth quarter.

Tyler Harvey also had 18 points with 4/7 three-point shooting, Todd Blanchfield 12 points and seven rebounds, and Davo Hickey nine points and six assists but QJ Peterson struggled for seven points on 3/15 shooting.

Melbourne's 24-20 quarter-time advantage grew to 41-26 in the second period, the Hawks out of sync and disorganised on offence.

Harvey, who played through a lower-back issue, and veteran Todd Blanchfield sparked a gritty fightback from the visitors, who reduced the deficit to 47-41 at half-time.

A malfunctioning game clock at one end delayed play for 14 minutes early in the second half before the issue was finally rectified.

Play resumed and Illawarra closed the gap to 72-67 late in the third quarter, but were never remotely close again.

United, who knocked down all 22 free-throws, upped their defensive pressure to go on a 15-2 tear either side of three quarter-time, then another 10-0 burst in the dying minutes to leave the Hawks

United remains at home at John Cain Arena to host the Tasmania JackJumpers on Tuesday night while before that, the Illawarra Hawks returning to Wollongong to take on the league-leading Adelaide 36ers.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

MELBOURNE UNITED 97 (Walker 21, Delany 18, Krebs 17)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 75 (McGee 18, Harvey 18, Blanchfield 12)

BOX SCORE