Hawks slump to 2-8 after heavy loss to Brisbane
Illawarra Hawks fell to 2-8 after losing 98-81 to Brisbane, with coach Justin Tatum calling the upcoming five-game road trip season-defining.
The Hawks were comprehensively beaten by Brisbane's Bullets 98-81 on Saturday night, their second heavy home loss in two nights. Illawarra trailed 55-35 at halftime and shot just 36 per cent while Brisbane made 22 of their 41 shots.
Brisbane's Nate Hinton led all scorers with 21 points. Hawks forward Todd Blanchfield managed 19 points in just his second game back from injury.
Coach Justin Tatum remained upbeat despite the result, saying he would never lose confidence in his team. But he acknowledged the reality: Illawarra's next five games are all away from home, starting in Perth on October 31.
Tatum said that road trip would "make or break" the Hawks' season.
- Brisbane 98, Hawks 81
- Final score
- Hawks trailed 55-35
- Halftime score
- 2-8
- Hawks record
- Five before returning home November 19
- Road games ahead
Why it mattersThe Hawks need wins away from home to stay in playoff contention and avoid a downward spiral that could be hard to recover from.
AustraliaAustralian basketball fans following Illawarra will watch to see whether Tatum can steady the struggling side before the critical road stretch.
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