Hawks Slip Past Bullets

The Wollongong Hawks have jump started their season tonight sneaking past the slumping Brisbane Bullets 100-93 in front of their home fans at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.

Things looked dire for both sides heading into the game with each club having a slow start to the season, but in front of a boisterous home crowd the Hawks finally found their shooting stroke hitting some clutch shots down the stretch to pull away from the Bullets late in the fourth quarter to record their second win of the season.

Wollongong veteran Mat Campbell was the main instigator for the Hawks burying seven three pointers to rack up a season high 29 points and after the match told Fox Sports Steve Carfino that he was extremely happy to have broken out of his slump.

“The guys said that I am the best three point shooter on our squad and that they have faith in me. I took a lot of confidence from that and tonight luckily they went in for me,” said a relieved Campbell.

The Hawks also got solid contributions from forward Glen Saville who recorded a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds and point guard Cortez Groves who chipped in with a handy 19 point haul.

Livewire point guard Derek Rucker did his best to keep the Bullets in the game scoring 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, while big man Bobby Brannen finally cracked double digits for the first time this season doing it in style with 21 points.

Wollongong fell behind the pre season favourites early in the game to trail 29-21 at quarter time and for most of the second period they were not able to reel in the deficit, but an 11-0 run in the final stages of the first half saw them storm into the main break with a three point lead (53-50).

The match hung in the balance in the third period with both sides swapping the lead on numerous occasions and the quarter looked set to end with Wollongong leading by a point, but a long bomb from Campbell just before the buzzer sent the Hawks fans crazy and gave his side a four point advantage at three quarter time.

Rucker made sure it was a tight finish scoring a hatful of points in the final period to keep his side in the contest, but it was all in vain for the Bullets as Wollongong held their nerve in the final few minutes to score a much needed seven point victory.

“There was heaps of pressure on us to win tonight, I am absolutely wrapped with the boys effort,” said Hawks coach Brendan Joyce.

“Now we have to calm down and make sure we get the next one.”

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