It was a rough night on the road for the Illawarra Hawks, who fell to the Sydney Kings 122–104 at Qudos Bank Arena.
Head coach Justin Tatum said the Kings found their rhythm early and punished every defensive lapse.
“Their guys made shots – 15 from 28 from the three point line. It’s tough to beat any team like that. Our defense broke down and gave them more opportunities. We lost in multiple ways, but our effort was there for pretty much the entire 40 minutes,” Tatum said.
Despite the 18 point margin, the Hawks remain firmly in the hunt for a top six finals spot.
Tatum says the group is staying optimistic as they build on recent performances.
“We still have the opportunity to find our way in there. We’ve got to keep building off how we finished the last two games, learn from this one, and get ready for Perth, who’s been playing well. Our road isn’t easy, this league isn’t easy, but I have enough talent in that locker room to push through to the top six.”
With a crucial clash against the Perth Wildcats in Wollongong tomorrow night, Tatum has also called on the entire Illawarra community to rally behind the team.
“Show up and show out. Be loud and be our sixth man, and still believe and trust that we’re pushing for that sixth spot. We haven’t counted ourselves out yet, so we’ll see you this Saturday.”
Tatum says the battle for finals contention will be fierce, with the Tasmania JackJumpers also circling the sixth position.
“Everybody’s going through their speed bumps right now. Unfortunately, we hit the injury bump and we’re trying to build momentum. Our road is looking tougher, but we have more games and more opportunities to make it happen. We’ve just got to do our job and win games.”
The Hawks return to The Sandpit tomorrow night to host the Perth Wildcats, with tip off at 8pm.
