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ROB Beveridge promised his boys would show heart. He promised they would leave it all out there and his team would “play our guts out”.

The Illawarra Hawks coach is a man of his word, his under-strength outfit yesterday mauling Perth Wildcats 104-87 to force their best-of-three NBL Swisse Semi Final Series to a deciding game in the west on Friday.

Having lost the opener 68-80 in Perth - where the Hawks have not won in their past 23 attempts - the biggest issue for Illawarra was the injury-forced absence of team leader and league MVP Kevin Lisch.

When he suffered the ankle injury in the first quarter of Friday’s clash, Hawks hopes were dimmed, to say the least.

But Oscar Forman, in his milestone 450th game, came off the bench and delivered.

Beveridge was forced into one change, having to accommodate Lisch's absence, and started Rhys Martin. But swapping Cody Ellis for Forman in the opening quintet was a master-stroke.

Ellis has been playing very well while Forman had been struggling and running into early foul woes.

The switch worked a treat and maybe now Perth needs to revisit, given the struggles starting centre Nate Jawai is having.

(Melbourne coach Dean Demopoulos take note: When you change starters, it's smart to go with someone who is playing well already. E.g. Taking out Majok Majok and starting Owen Odigie in Game 2, instead of Hakim Warrick, was not a stroke of genius.) 

Not only Forman but the entire Hawks group lifted and after grafting a 52-50 main interval lead, had it out to 79-66 by the last break.

“Hats off to the Hawks, they come out, pressured the ball and lifted the pace,” Wildcats import Jermaine Beal said.

The Sandpit was pumping as Penney, Ogilvy, Martin, Tiim Coenraad and Co got the job done to force a Game 3.

Or did they?

Not according to Perth Wildcats today:

Um, premature a bit there?

“They played desperately and we didn’t raise the bar. We couldn’t get consecutive stops,” Perth coach Trevor Gleeson said.

“It’s now a one game-series. We’ve got it at home. We’ve got to come a lot more aggressive than how we did."

Matt Knight battled all night and Casey Prather and Beal were imposing. Perth was a little light on after that.

When the home fans are chanting: "Cheeseburgers!" and waiting to break the ton, you haven't put your best foot forward.

Yesterday - Game 2 (Best-of-3 Semi Final Series): ILLAWARRA HAWKS 104 (Forman 21, Ogilvy 20, Penney 18, Coenraad 17; Ogilvy, Coenraad 7 rebs; Penney 7 assts) d PERTH WILDCATS 87 (Prather 21, Beal 20, Knight 15; Jawai 8 rebs; Martin 7 assts) at The Sandpit, WIN Entertainment Centre. Series tied 1-1. Game 3 in Perth on Friday.

PS

NBL COACH OF THE YEAR: Shawn Dennis ... the Marcel Marceau years