Not even their fiercely loyal fans who pack into the Sandpit could have seen this coming.
The Illawarra Hawks are finally on the board this NBL season after stunning title favourites Adelaide 36ers 114-92 at WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday night.
Watch every NBL game LIVE with ESPN, available on Kayo | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
After road losses to Sydney (121-100), Brisbane (103-95) and New Zealand (103-98), the Hawks went into their first home game of the season as the league’s only winless team with an unwanted 0-3 record.
But the 2024-25 champions looked anything but cellar-dwellers against the 2025-26 runners-up and ultimately cruised to their first victory of this campaign, and only their second from their past nine games against the 36ers.
New import Kelan Martin poured in a season-high 28 points, including five three-pointers, and was one of five Hawks to score in double figures.
“It felt good, just going out there and making shots, playing with so much energy,” Martin told Fox Sports at half-time.
“When we play with energy, we can’t be stopped, you know what I’m saying.”
Adelaide superstar Bryce Cotton had a rare quiet night. Cotton was held to just eight points by the middle stages of the third quarter and finished with 15 before heading to the bench with the other 36ers starters.
HAWKS’ HOT START
The Hawks soared early, hitting six of 11 from three-point range to establish a 35-21 quarter-time lead, and the 36ers never challenged from there.
Illawarra imports Martin and Milton Doyle had 10 points each after 10 minutes, and Tyler Harvey knocked down two late triples as the Hawks closed the term on a 14-4 run.
Adelaide coach Trevor Gleeson sat starters Cotton, Zylan Cheatham and Nick Rakocevic to open the second quarter and Illawarra took advantage, stretching their lead to 46-25 and forcing Gleeson to call time out.
Davo Hickey joined Illawarra’s point-scoring party in the second period, cutting and weaving through the paint to post 10 points by the long break. Hickey (10) was one of four Hawks in double figures by half-time, joining Martin (16), Sam Froling (12) and Doyle (10).
The Hawks led by as many as 32 points early in the fourth quarter before both coaches cleared their benches for the final minutes.
Froling finished with a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double, Doyle posted 13 points and seven assists, Hickey had 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds, and Harvey added 11 points and seven assists.
Illawarra had no turnovers in the first half, shot 57% from the floor and 44% from behind the three-point line. By comparison, Adelaide were ice cold, making just three of 21 three-point attempts and shooting 34% overall.
By the final buzzer, the Hawks had made 15 of 31 triples (48%) against Adelaide’s nine of 38 (24%).
Both teams are back on court on Sunday. The Hawks (1-3) hit the road to challenge South East Melbourne Phoenix, and Adelaide (2-2) return home to host New Zealand Breakers.
WALKING WOUNDED
Illawarra and Adelaide are both dealing with early-season injury worries to their big men.
Isaac Humphries (knee) faces an uncertain immediate future and is considering his options, former Sydney Kings forward Bul Kuol is still recovering from a knee injury suffered last season, and guard Flynn Cameron (ankle) is also sidelined.
Forwards Mason Peatling (foot) and Todd Blanchfield (finger) are not expected back for Illawarra any time soon, but the Hawks have signed former Sydney Kings championship-winner Makur Maker to fill the void in the paint.