Basketball On The Internet.

ILLAWARRA last night produced arguably its best NBL performance in about a decade when it smashed Perth 100-82 in Wollongong, Sam Froling leading the rout which started with a crushing 38-18 first quarter that included him scoring 11 points inside the first five minutes.

Establishing their intent with a 12-0 opening that ensured they led from tip-off to siren, no Hawks team in the club's storied history has played a more impressive single quarter, a flurry of dunks, threes, ball movement, intensity and superlative defensive work culminating in Will Hickey nailing a running 3-pointer to close it.

To say the Wildcats were shellshocked would be an understatement in the extreme, Illawarra continuing to thrive under the stewardship of interim coach Justin Tatum, whose faith in players such as Next Star AJ Johnson, Hyunjung Lee and Hickey, paid handsomely, each of them scoring eight points.

Froling had the paint covered, Tyler Harvey played more of a typical point guard role instead of his customary wanton long-range blazing, and Gary Clark was a monster whenever required.

Even Justin Robinson was more efficient than usual and when veteran Todd Blanchfield had his moment of daylight, he immediately sank one of the game's sweetest 3-point rockets.

That shot opened the second quarter's scoring and put Illawarra ahead 41-18, the 23-point margin its biggest lead.

Down Tai Webster, Perth was all at sea from the get-go. Coach John Rillie started Kyle Zunic at the point, subbed him out after 2:12 and only remembered him again for junk time.

If the Wildcats brains trust had decided Zunic was the right man for the job, giving him 3:10 of action for the night either meant they initially had it wrong, or they slid into panic mode and spent much of this one clutching at straws.

It would appear to be the latter, Illawarra's strategy of doubling Bryce Cotton saw him reduced to an uncharacteristic seven-point game on 1-of-9 shooting, his other four points coming from six free throws.

If Tatum didn't just give the rest of the NBL a formula for success against the league's most dangerous offensive force, then they just weren't paying attention.

Starter Hyrum Harris was reduced to 7:33 of playing time - no, he had no foul woes - Keanu Pinder was kept under wraps and it was left to stalwart Jesse Wagstaff, Next Star Alex Sarr and one-dimensional import Jordan Usher to keep the scoreboard ticking.

To its undying credit, Perth kept the fight going, dragging it back to 70-77 on a Wagstaff triple inside the last seven minutes.

Clark's 3-point response erased it though, Pinder's three again made the Wildcats look threatening for 73-80, but it only set off Harvey and Clark offensively and created a lift defensively for this to blow into a rout.

Despite six straight wins, Perth completely lost its shape, Rillie lengthening the rotation, Corey Webster firing up a few shots as Hawkheads relished the excitement of their team and some of the audacious play of its new breed.    

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 100 (Froling 21, Clark 17, Harvey 16, Robinson 11; Clark 10 rebs; Harvey 7 assts) d PERTH WILDCATS 82 (Sarr, Wagstaff 13, Doolittle 11; Pinder 10 rebs; Cotton 7 assts) at WIN Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 2,921