McGee, Bolden shine, but Hawks denied in overtime thriller

Alexey Borges was the hero for Flamengo to get to overtime and for the win as the Brazilians won 84-82 at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup despite the best efforts from Tyler Harvey and JaVale McGee for the Illawarra Hawks.

Harvey produced some of his trademark heroics for the Hawks while NBA-experienced bigs McGee and Jonah Bolden combined for 22 points and 21 rebounds, but it wasn’t quite enough to open the Intercontinental Cup in Singapore.

It was Borges who made the shot for Flamengo to get the game to overtime and he then hit the winner at the end of that extra period for his team's two-point victory.

He is a championship hero at the Hawks now and Harvey was terrific with 24 points, five rebounds and two steals while going 14/16 at the foul line.

Bolden has joined Illawarra for the first time for NBL26 and ended up with 12 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two assists while three-time NBA champion McGee had 10 points, 10 boards and two blocks despite 5/16 shooting.

Todd Blanchfield also had 10 points with a couple of big three-pointers with new import point guard Jaquori McLaughlin contributing seven points despite four turnovers.

Alexey Borges top-scored for Flamengo with 22 points to go with nine rebounds and eight assists with Shaquille Johnson adding 14 points, Kayo Manfio 12 and Dee Bost 10 with four assists.

The Hawks made the perfect start with the opening five points with an and-one from Tyler Harvey and then a bucket to his championship teammate Mason Peatling.

After Flamengo opened their account, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk scored to push the Hawks advantage out to 7-3 but not long after and the Brazilian powerhouse had their own six-point lead which soon became nine.

They were still up 20-13 by quarter-time before Illawarra came out and hit the first six points of the second period and a three ball to Harvey soon had scores all level.

The newly signed Biwali Bayles then put Illawarra in front thanks to an 11-2 run start to the quarter and by half-time they were clinging to the 31-28 advantage.

JaVale McGee stretched that Illawarra lead to five to open the second half but it was virtually basket for basket the rest of the term before it was Flamengo leading 53-50 at three quarter-time with a triple from Kayo Manfio.

Just as Flamengo had the momentum and a six-point lead, Todd Blanchfield hit a crucial three for the Hawks and when he added another scores were tied once more with 7:30 to play.

The momentum swings continued and Blanchfield and Harvey combined to give Illawarra the four-point lead with five minutes on the clock but another three ball from Manfio saw Flamengo reclaim the lead a couple of minutes later.

Then with 50 seconds to go it was a trademark clutch three ball from Harvey that saw the Hawks up one before he hit a couple of free throws to stretch that lead to three.

It was then a dramatic finish to regulation with Jaquori McLaughlin making two free throws for Illawarra to keep them up three but the game then went to overtime with a buzzer-beating triple for Flamengo from Alexey Borges.

Then in the extra period, it was score for score and the game looked to heading for another five minutes until the Brazilians scored the win with the bucket to Borges once again just before full-time for the two-point win.

The Hawks are again in action at the Intercontinental Cup on Saturday evening playing the NBA G League United.

‍FIBA INTERCONTINENTAL CUP 2025

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 82 (Harvey 24, Bolden 12, McGee 10, Blanchfield 10)

FLAMENGO 84 (Borges 22, Johnson 14, Manfio 12)

BOX SCORE