It’s party time in the ‘Gong: Hickey stars as Hawks take out NBL title

The Illawarra Hawks have climbed back to the top of the mountain as NBL champions for the first time in 24 years.

The Hawks will party like it’s 2001 after clinching* the championship on their home floor in a 114-104 win over Melbourne United in the best-of-five series decider at Wollongong’s WIN Sports and Entertainment Centre south of Sydney on Sunday.

HOORAY FOR HICKEY
It will be remembered as the breakout* series for young Hawks guard William Hickey.

The 25-year-old came back to haunt United, the club that gave him his start as a development player.

Hickey was immense, delivering 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a dominant performance.

“I’m just trying to soak the moment in,” Hickey said. “I’m just so proud of us, man.

“We were down, we were out. It’s the grit that we showed (after) two losses on our home court … and to come out and finish it here tonight, that’s made me really emotional.”

STUNNING SPORTSMANSHIP
The decision to award United point guard Matthew Dellavedova the Championship Series MVP was regrettably* met with boos from the Hawks crowd.

But in a classy sportsmanship lesson that silenced the unsporting hecklers*, Dellavedova walked off stage with his MVP trophy and promptly handed it to Hickey.

It was an incredible act – many felt Hickey deserved the honour on the victorious team but Dellavedova had given his own great performance this series.

“This really belongs to you, you had a hell of a series,” Dellavedova said.

The Hawks had to come back from 10 points down early in game five.

They did it through their rebounding domination, which they bossed* 53-30.

TREY THRIVES
Star Hawks guard Trey Kell III, who missed game four with a knee injury, rose up to take full flight in game five.

Kell was unstoppable at times, with a near triple double off the bench with 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

Every time United threatened, Kell had the answers, with the 28-year-old confirming himself as a superstar on the big stage.

OLBRICH ARRIVES
When starting centre Sam Froling went down with an Achilles* injury, the question was asked – who would stand up?

Lachlan Olbrich, 21, confirmed himself as a future star with hugely influential performances in games four and five, including 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in the deciding game.

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk piled on a crucial 16 points, while Todd Blanchfield’s (eight points) second period was outstanding.

Tyler Harvey had 16 points.

UNITED COMES UNDONE
Shooting woes hampered* United. The team’s percentages from the free throw line (32/45, 71 per cent) and three-point line (14/36, 38 per cent) will have the visitors feeling full of regret.

It was a gut-wrenching* loss for United, who had redemption* on their mind after last year’s game five loss to the Tasmania Jack Jumpers, but they will be left to rue* their inability to close out the series playing at home in game four.

The Hawks did a superb job locking down the dangerous Chris Goulding, limited to a manageable 21 points on 5/15 shooting.

Goulding was never allowed to take over full games because of the Hawks’ ability to follow the scout of coach Justin Tatum.

HAWKS RISE AND SOAR
It was a fairytale result for Tatum.

The 46-year-old American coach took over the Hawks last season when they were 2-7 and quite frankly the easy beat of the competition.

Tatum’s record has improved to 39-22 and he is now an NBL champion.

This Hawks team fed off Tatum’s passion and energy.

“More happy for the crowd, for my team, for my coaches, I’m just a little part, I’m happy to be experiencing this, I’m loving the feeling right now,” Tatum said. “Extremely proud.

“I’m bringing a chip back home. St Louis*, I love you, I miss you.”

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GLOSSARY

• clinching: sealing, confirming, settling, concluding
• breakout: when someone or something becomes a sudden but big success
• regrettably: causing disappointment
• hecklers: people who interrupt something to insult, make fun of or jeer someone else
• bossed: to be in control of something like a boss
• Achilles: named for the hero of the Trojan War in Ancient Greek mythology, it refers to injury or damage to the tendon connecting the calf muscle to the heel
• hampered: to prevent someone doing something easily
• gut-wrenching: something very upsetting or unpleasant
• redemption: being delivered from suffering
• rue: to feel remorse or regret about something
• St Louis: major US port city on the famed Mississippi River in the state of Missouri

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QUICK QUIZ

1. How many years has it been since the Hawks last clinched the NBL championship?
2. Which NBL team gave William Hickey his big break as a development player?
3. What was Matthew Dellavedova’s incredible act of sportsmanship?
4. Which player returned after missing game four due to a knee injury to take full flight in the final?
5. Which United player was successfully locked down by the Hawks?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Basketball stats
Use your maths skills to complete the following sums*:

– How many points did the Hawks win by?

– How many years since the Hawks won the championship?

– How many more rebounds did the Hawks get over United?

– How many points did United miss from the free throw line?

– How many three point shots did United miss?

What do you think the most important stats are if you were a coach analysing the win or loss from the game?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Mathematics

2. Extension
What’s the best act of sportsmanship you’ve witnessed on TV or in your own sporting life?

Can you think of a time that you’ve shown good sportsmanship in a game? Share with a partner.

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

*Answers: 10, 24, 17, 13, 22

VCOP ACTIVITY
I’ve always wanted to know
If you had the opportunity to talk to one of these NBL athletes who played in the final and ask them five questions, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Come up with five different questions. Challenge yourself to use different question stems (question openers words) to write your questions, and don’t forget to end with a question mark.