Log-leaders Illawarra Hawks have fought their way back from consecutive home losses to surprise the Tasmania JackJumpers in the NBL.
Losing twice after a five-game winning run, the Hawks hit back at WIN Entertainment Centre on Tuesday night to beat the JackJumpers 89-84 and inflict consecutive losses on the defending champions who before that had put together an eight-match winning streak.
Both teams were looking for a response with the Hawks still in top spot but having lost at home to South East Melbourne Phoenix and the Cairns Taipans - both from winning positions.
The JackJumpers saw their impressive run ended in Hobart on Sunday when they were beaten by the Phoenix.
The Hawks opened up a handy lead in the second quarter after a tight first term.
Illawarra had outscored Tasmania 27-13 up to the point when Mason Peatling landed a three-pointer, with the hosts eventually going to the break leading 49-36 - shooting at 50 per cent to the 35 from the JackJumpers.
Sam Froling (15 points, six rebounds, four assists) and Tyler Harvey (18 points, 4-of-9 from three) combined for 21 points for the Hawks midway, while the JackJumpers had just three points from Jordon Crawford (13 points, three assists) and Milton Doyle (one point, 10 rebounds, seven assists).
Tasmania opened up the second half outscoring Illawarra 18 points to seven with Sean Macdonald knocking down two more three-pointers, and 350-game milestone man Reuben Te Rangi (eight points, two assists) another.
That resulted in the JackJumpers closing the lead to just two before the Hawks responded to steam ahead by 10 early in the fourth thanks to a three-point dagger from Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (seven points).
While Tasmania kept fighting, Illawarra held firm to win by five and stay top at 14-7.
Trey Kell III finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Darius Days had 12 points and six boards, and Peatling a crucial nine points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
"It was extremely important because if you lose a game like that with the situation we're in, and it would have been potentially our third loss in a row," said Hawks coach Justin Tatum.
"That would have started messing with our locker room mentally so it was very important to get back on the winning track."
It left the JackJumpers with a 11-10 record, despite Sean Macdonald's 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting from deep, Majok Deng's 16 points and three rebounds, and Fabijan Krslovic's 11 points, 10 boards and six assists.
The Hawks attempting 23 free-throws to 11 from his team wasn't lost on JackJumpers coach Scott Roth.
"I'm pleased with the effort and I have been for the last two months because these guys continue to show up and do the work," said Roth.
"We just couldn’t finish off some things around the rim and then the foul discipline with some tick-tack reach-in fouls was the deciding factor."
