R8 Preview: Illawarra Hawks vs Perth Wildcats

When: 8pm (AEDT), Saturday 22 January 2022

Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Sky Sports NZ


Who won last time?

Perth 79 (Blanchfield 24, Mooney 16, Norton 15) d Illawarra 71 (Froling 14, Harvey 10) - Semi-Final Game 3, 2021, RAC Arena, Perth

Two decisive first-half runs put Perth 16 ahead and in the box seat to advance to the NBL Grand Final, but the tenacious Hawks withered the deficit down to one early in the final term. Like the champions they are the Wildcats responded immediately, 14 points in four minutes from Mitch Norton, Jesse Wagstaff and John Mooney sealing the deal.


What happened last start?

It was Perth trying to charge from a massive deficit in Adelaide last round after trailing by 28 in the second term. While they did get back to single figures, there would be some stern conversations happening behind closed doors given the 36ers were also coming off a long lay-off, and the Wildcats were well beaten in many of the key effort areas.

Illawarra also fell in Round 7 but it wasn’t for lack of trying, coming from 10 down to tie the game in the fourth period. After staying in the contest thanks to some deadly long-range shooting, the Hawks stayed in love with the three-ball in the final 10 minutes and weren’t able to connect under fatigue, nor were they able to crack Melbourne’s interior.


Who’s in form?

Antonius Cleveland – AC’s past five games have delivered 13.8ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.6bpg and 1.6spg while shooting 55 per cent on two-pointers. The do-everything forward is the Hawks’ clear leader in plus-minus, going +77 to date, and against Melbourne his team was +11 in his 28 minutes and -15 in the other 12. No other Hawk was in the positives.

Perth’s defence – The Wildcats held Adelaide to 40 per cent from the field and forced 14 turnovers, and they currently rank third in opposition points per game (79.3), field-goal percentage (41%) and turnovers forced (15), second in defensive three-point percentage (28%) and free-throw attempts (15.4), and first in opposition three-point makes (7.1).


Who needs to be?

Perth’s rebounding – Those defensive numbers look good until you look at the d-boards. The 'Cats grabbed just 58 per cent of the boards at the defensive end in Adelaide, whereas the 36ers pulled in 67 per cent of theirs. It continued a disturbing trend for Perth, who were the masters of the glass under Rob Beveridge and Trevor Gleeson’s watch.

Illawarra’s perimeter defence – It’s unusual for a Brian Goorjian-coached team not to have a perimeter stopper, but this Hawks team doesn’t. So while they want to be more like last year’s fierce defensive unit, the absence of Justin Simon is being felt. Opposition guards  who can work ball-screens are getting their teams free throws and great outside looks.

https://twitter.com/MelbUnited/status/1482551532940066822


Who’s statting up?

 - In the Hawks’ losses they are giving up 39 points from triples at 38 per cent, compared to 25.5 points at 29 per cent in wins. In those losses, opponents have averaged 24 free-throw attempts, well up from 15.3 in Illawarra wins

 - In the final quarter against Melbourne, Illawarra went 2/15 from the three-point line, while taking just 11 attempts from inside the arc

 - In losses, Perth’s defensive rebounding percentage is 58 per cent, and 66 per cent for the season. Under Trevor Gleeson they averaged 71.4 per cent and never dipped below 69.5

 - Against Adelaide, the Wildcats were -13 in possession points (second chance points + points off turnovers). In five wins this season they are +35 in those categories


Who’s matching up?

Tyler Harvey v Mitch Norton – While public perception says Harvey is the superstar and Norton the blue-collar worker, this battle in the NBL21 semi finals was something else. Playing injured, Norton’s 15-point performance in the decider was pivotal, while his job keeping Harvey to just 10ppg on 8/32 shooting in the two Perth games was remarkable.

However, in Game 2 in the 'Gong, T-Raw burned with 24 points on 6/11 from long range, just as he did against the Wildcats in the final game of the regular season, where he ran up 27 on five triples. When Harvey has hit three of more trifectas, Illawarra are 22-6, when he’s hit two or less they are 3-12. This contest could be the one that most shapes the outcome.

https://twitter.com/Liam_Santa/status/1404433744040103938


Who’s talking the talk?

As the Adelaide 36ers were walking all over his team in last Tuesday’s opening quarter, Perth coach Scott Morrison urged his team for more physicality on the ball-handler and the cutter, signalling for more aggressive arm-bars.

While extending an arm into an offensive player’s cylinder is a foul by the rulebook, Morrison has learned quickly that the aggressors reap the benefits in the Hungry Jack’s NBL.

“I didn’t think we came out with the effort we needed at the start of the game,” ScoMo said.

“We didn’t have multiple efforts defensively, we let them shoot uncontested shots when we could have made an effort to contest, and I think that got them going and built their confidence.

“Everything becomes harder when that’s how you start the game.”

For Illawarra, that was something they experienced late as United’s constantly-checking defence held them to just three points on 1/12 shooting in the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter.

Tyler Harvey has been the man to carry the Hawks in late-game situations, but Melbourne literally locked him down.

“Physicality,” coach Brian Goorjian said.

“I thought Ili, Delly, their import, body-checking, strong, physical. You’re playing against the best team in the league in that form … Their two guards are extremely physical.”

Goorjian played into Melbourne’s hands, allowing their defence to clog the lane by placing Antonius Cleveland in the corner to open the final term.

The athletic import bricked four-straight triples against the sagging defence, whereas he could have done some serious damage in the dunker spot with hot-shooting bigs like Harry Froling and Duop Reath spreading the floor.

https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/1482537359644446728


“On the perimeter that stretch-four position, with Harry and Duop, the shots that Harry hit tonight, that stretched the floor,” Goorjian said.

“We didn’t have that position last year, so he and Duop there give us an opportunity. I think that’s a big difference offensively.”

Eventually, Goorjian put Cleveland to the four-spot in the final two minutes and ran with the small-ball line-up that had such success against Sydney, the Hawks doubling their final-quarter tally as a result.

With Vic Law a tough match-up for Reath, and neither Matt Hodgson nor Majok Majok a big offensive threat inside, expect Goorj to use that tactic earlier on Saturday.

“That small line-up against Sydney and again tonight I thought we got some huge stops to give us a chance,” Goorjian said.

Cleveland defending Law will leave Justinian Jessup entrusted with the job on Bryce Cotton, but Goorjian is loving his Next Star’s development in that area.

“It’s really big. In the Sydney game we had him locked into a shooter,” Goorjian said.

“Tonight that was a huge task, Goulding’s been incredible hitting shots from all over the floor, and I thought that (defence) again was there ... he had 18 and he did a great job on Goulding, so he is moving forward from last year, especially at the defensive end.”

https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/1482544943914958849


The mastercoach admits he is still “trying to figure some things out”, and the upcoming run of four games in eight days is “an opportunity to play the bench more” and see what his reserves can deliver.

Meanwhile coach Morrison is figuring out how his club can go from the rebounding, possession game and effort kings of the NBL for more than a decade, to an inconsistent outfit.

“To be honest it’s been a problem since the Blitz, we talked about it at the Blitz a couple of times and it’s reared its head a couple of times since then, and we’re going to have to do something about it because the teams we play in this league are too good to not give your best for 40 minutes,” he said.

“These teams we’re going to play in the next couple of weeks you can’t afford a bad half-quarter or even a bad few possessions in a row, you’re going to dig yourself a hole.”

In reality, a team featuring Cotton, Norton, Wagstaff and Kevin White is going to get back to their hard-working ways, and there is no better challenge than the Hawks in Wollongong.

“I'm sure all the guys will be happy with the quick turnaround, not as much time to prepare but this loss will be fresh in our heads when we get to Illawarra,” Morrison said.