SEASON 2024/25 of the National Basketball League (NBL) is already approaching the halfway mark, and the race for a top-six spot is as tight as ever.

10 rounds into the fixture has seen record-breaking performances, dominant team displays and thrilling finishes as the NBL produces its most exciting season yet, with the championship race wide open as it stands.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be putting each side under the microscope, and next up are the Illawarra Hawks, who started the season like a house on fire, but have cooled in recent weeks and dropped out of the top two.

Illawarra Hawks

Record as of Round 10 – seven wins, four losses

How its happened

The Hawks were the team to beat in the first month of the season, storming to the top of the table after winning their first three games, before a loss at the hands of the Adelaide 36ers put an end to that streak. As the season has gone on, Illawarra’s form has dropped off, and over the span of Rounds 6-8, lost three out of four clashes. A bounce back win over the Sydney Kings was crucial, and the Hawks remain in touch with the top two spots in the standings, but will be eager to recharge and refresh ahead of Round 10. At their best, the Hawks seemed just about impossible to stop, especially under the coaching guidance of Justin Tatum and still can do plenty of damage in the second half of the fixture.

MVP – Tyler Harvey

Although several players put forward strong cases in the first half of the season, such as Trey Kell III and Sam Froling, Illawarra’s star for the past four years once again edges out his peers. Harvey has been his reliable scoring self and has been the go-to scoring option for most of the season. Despite his team dropping off in form of late, the guard has been still able to produce solid offensive output and has kept the Hawks in games with his scoring ability. He is averaging 17.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, pouring in 20+ points in five of his team’s 11 matches, proving a pillar of consistency with constant double-digit scoring showings.

Where to from here?

The main goal for the Hawks will be getting back to their early-season form, which saw the team sit comfortably at the top of the table. It appears Illawarra’s offensive output has dropped significantly in the past month, as the Hawks were able to surpass 100 points consistently to start the fixture, but have now hit triple digits just once in their past six games. The Hawks still remain one of the biggest chances to take out the ultimate prize this season, given the dominance they showed to start the season, and are expected to make a deep run in the finals in a few months.