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IF it does come to pass, as even many non-Hawks fans are hoping, that Illawarra makes it to the Final Four this NBL season, one of the reasons will be Justin Simon's game-saving steal against New Zealand.

It may not stand as the season's most spectacular play - even Mirko Djeric's halfcourt shot last week and a holy host of other plays we could find since the season tipped off might be easier on the eye - but this one clinched a W.

And in what now appears a three-way battle for fourth spot between Illawarra, Sydney and a Brisbane team with games in hand, that Hawks win could prove pivotal.

Remember the Breakers are finally at home and rightly so for the rest of the season. Just next round, Sydney has to play them twice across the Tasman and Illawarra has a flight over to go too.

So does Brisbane, and South East Melbourne - on 17-14 in third now and with breathing space from the pack - has a trip across the ditch.

No-one really expects the Breakers to win all of their remaining games. But let's be honest. No-one would be surprised if they did, either. And that makes Simon's steal for the win worth solid gold.

 

 

 

  ROUND 18 (Part 2) - GAME BY GAME 

 

 

WITH the club retiring Robert Sibley's famous #52 uniform and many of its all-time greats in attendance, Brisbane gave defending champion Perth all it could handle for three quarters.

The Bullets still led 66-61 going into the fourth quarter and 79-76 on Nathan Sobey free throws with 6:06 left.

But when Bryce Cotton (24 points, 4-of-8 threes) tied it 79-79, the Wildcats were rolling.

Todd Blanchfield, en route to his career-high at Perth with 31 points (5-of-9 threes), threw down a fast break dunk at 5:18 and Perth had the lead 81-79. His bonus free throw ricocheted out but Perth came up with the offensive board and Cotton's 3-pointer made it 84-79.

Then it was Mitch Norton's turn to bury the dagger with a three of his own for 87-79 in what would prove the match-winning 13-0 run. By the end, the Wildcats were flying, their 41-point final period the most by any team this season.

PERTH WILDCATS 102 (Blanchfield 31, Norton, Cotton 24, Mooney 11; Norton, Mooney 7 rebs; Mooney 5 assts) d BRISBANE BULLETS 90 (Sobey 24, Cadee 14, Drmic 11, Hodgson, Patterson 10; Hodgson, Patterson 9 rebs; Hodgson 7 assts) at The Armoury, Nissan Arena. Crowd: 3,405

* * * 

YOU just had to know that the New Zealand Breakers, on the verge of returning home across the Tasman for the first time since December, were going to leave it all out there on the Sandpit floor.

After 153 days on the road, a remarkable and admirable feat which should be - and rightly has been - lauded for its commitment to the NBL's continued success in such uncertain times - New Zealand went out with a bang.

It led the Hawks 27-24 after one, then succumbed to Illawarra's pressure and 18-8 second period as the home team drove its buffer out to 15.

Then came the fight back and the arm-wrestle to the finish. Typically, Tyler Harvey carried much of Illawarra's scoring burden, as did Finn Delany - in his best ever season - but ultimately, one play clinched it.

The score at Hawks 72, Breakers 71 and the clocking clicking down on the Breakers last play, Tai Webster crossed over the ball, making a move on the Hawks' premier defender Justin Simon.

Simon read it, quickly reached in and cleanly stole the ball in one of the plays of the year, Webster immediately fouling and only the final scoreline to be decided.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 73 (Harvey 24, Froling, Jessup 12, Simon 11; Simon, Froling 11 rebs; 6 with 1 asst) d NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 71 (Delany 20, McDowell-White 14, Bach 13; Delany 11 rebs; McDowell-White 9 assts) at The Sandpit, WIN Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 2,456

* * * 

BEATING Perth in Perth, then losing at home to SEM largely would invalidate that win and everyone on the United roster knew it as they entered Throwdown Eleventy-five.

But here's an inalienable fact. Beating Perth in Perth consistently has proven to be the biggest road challenge in the NBL and any team which achieves it is simply bound to have a letdown in its next fixture.

So in fact Melbourne did well to be 20-20 at the first break and 43-43 at halftime. Keifer Sykes was keeping psyched and Mitch Creek returning to his former game-dominant persona (14 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists and a steal) so the Phoenix were phocused.

Melbourne continued its competitive performance during the third quarter until Sykes and Creek inspired South East Melbourne's breakaway.

United made runs in the last quarter and was even within five points with 90 seconds left. But it was always playing for second place in this one, the Phoenix producing one of its finer wins of the 2021 regular season.

And in more good news, Ryan Broke-off made it through without getting injured, although he still gave Phoenix phans a late scare.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 94 (Sykes 26, Creek 14, Wetzell 12, Adnam 11; Creek 8 rebs; Creek 8 assts) d MELBOURNE UNITED 83 (Landale 19, Goulding 13, Hopson 11; McCarron 7 rebs; McCarron 6 assts) at The UN, John Cain Arena. Crowd: 3,460

* * * 

THE psyche of this Sydney-Adelaide rematch in Sydney, a week after the Kings squandered a 16-point lead to be smacked by the Sixers in overtime, always was going to be interesting.

Were the 36ers going to come out super-confident, knowing they could spot the Kings 16 points and still win by nine, a 25-point turnaround?

Or were the Kings going to be riled up by their own ineptitude in coughing up such a winnable home game and be fired up from the get-go?

Quick answer? Option Number 2.

Adelaide, in love with the 3-point shot, blazed up 15 in the first quarter, converting two. (And one of those was the first one the 36ers took, by Sunday Dech, before missing on the next 12).

Clearly, the 3-point shot was not reciprocating the love and it was only when Adelaide found a better offensive balance in the second period, it was able to go 30-19 to lead at halftime.

Winning though? That was out of the question.

Sydney's defensive resolve hardened in the third and with Jarell Martin a constant thorn and Casper Ware dishing out 12 assists, its 23-10 period set up a comfortable win.

It also made a major, major difference that Kings coach Adam Forde basically stuck with an eight-man rotation and allowed his charges to find their flow.

Ware's 12 assists were the most in Kings history in a 40-minute game, and the most by a King since  CJ Bruton had 12 against the 36ers in Adelaide in January, 2005.

Overnight the 13-18 Sixers made the decision to release Josh Giddey to pursue his NBA draft dream, finally realising that even Mathematically they weren't a finals chance.

Though if they also studied Geography, they should have know they were already way too far Down Under weeks ago. And History also would have shown they had zero real chance.

SYDNEY KINGS 85 (Martin 20, Hunter 15, Ware 13, Kickert, Moller 12; Moller 11 rebs; Ware 12 assts) d ADELAIDE 36ERS 75 (Johnson 23, Paul 21, McVeigh 12; Pinder, Giddey, Johnson 7 rebs; Giddey 5 assts) at The Kingdome, Qudos Bank Arena. Crowd: 5,078

* * * 

HARD to know really whether Perth came into Cairns a tad over-confident or just had its guard down but until Bryce Cotton wrested control of this game midway through the final quarter, Taipans fans had plenty of reasons to be happy.

Nate Jawai was giving the Wildcats some keyway hell, Scott Machado was playing with full focus and several of the Orange's support players, such as Fabijan Krslovic and Tad Dufelmeier, were making important plays.

Jesse Wagstaff with a mid-range jumper - remember those? - put Perth ahead 45-44 at halftime but it was the Wildcats having to battle back to make it 65-65 with a period to play.

A 10-2 start to the last put Perth in the box seat before Cairns again went to Jawai who scored twice in succession to give it hope.

But then it was Bryce Cotton time. A couple of sweet steals for baskets for himself and John Mooney, free throws off a fouled 3-point attempt, then a triple of his own and basically the league MVP shut the door on an otherwise ballsy Taipans effort.

PERTH WILDCATS 89 (Cotton 24, Mooney, Blanchfield 11, Norton 10; Mooney 10 rebs; Cotton 5 assts) d CAIRNS TAIPANS 78 (Jawai 20, Machado 17, Krslovic 11; Jawai 9 rebs; Machado 8 assts) at the Snagpit, Cairns Pop-Up Arena. Crowd: 1,811

* * *

Round 18 (What Else we Learnt)

*So many of us are now genuinely concerned for Jesse Wagstaff's wellbeing post-basketball if he is ever outside and there's a strong gust of wind;

*Sad news for some of our TV callers who will need to find something new to pontificate on in 36ers games, now the Josh Giddey "triple-double" watch officially is over;

*No. Wait. We've still got the regular "John Mooney double-double watch" going, of course;

*Don't take it personally guys. Referee Damian Lyons calls a ridiculous foul on Mitch Norton as he runs down the floor, then a ridiculous foul on Nate Jawai for standing upright with his hands in the air as an opponent bounces into and off him! NBL 21 - Expect the Unexpected ... and also the Downright Ridiculous;

"Oh wow," is the new mutterance of choice of NBL TV callers. (Will check in with the "unconfident" Corey Willaims to confirm if "mutterance" is a word);

*Bryce Cotton is so good, refs even allow him to step out of court, that's how impressed they are when he steals it;

*For Part 1 of our Round 18 wrap, hit this link.

QUOTE of the WEEK 

"Fantastic, especially with the guys that have been retired before. Larry was a huge influence in my playing career. Ron Radliff is one of my best friends to this day. Leroy? You know I grew up with a poster on my wall of Leroy. To be put up there with the same company is unbelievable."

Brisbane Bullets club stalwart Robert Sibley on seeing his #52 uniform retired and raised into the rafters alongside Larry Sengstock's #7, Ron Radliff's #22 and Leroy Loggins' #30.

TOMORROW: Team of the Week