Harvey the hero as Hawks level series

Tyler Harvey has taken his game-winning talents to Game 2 of the NBL Championship Series as the Illawarra Hawks prevailed on the road to win 102-100 and hold off a ferocious Melbourne United fight back.

The Hawks looked right on track to hit back emphatically from their Game 1 loss at home on Saturday night when they opened up an 11-point lead by three quarter-time at John Cain Arena on Wednesday.

United were also without their crucial guard Shea Ili after he took a knock to the head in the second quarter, but still Melbourne fired back and even hit the front with Ian Clark's three free throws with 10.4 seconds to go.

That gave Clark 16 of his 31 points for the game in that fourth quarter, but just five seconds later it was Harvey hitting a three right in his face. That proved the game-winner for the Hawks when Chris Goulding's attempt up the other end rattled out at the buzzer.

The Hawks have been the best offensive rebounding team all season but that wasn’t on show in Game 1. They hit back in Game 2 with 22 offensive boards for 15 second chance points while also forcing Melbourne into 16 turnovers from which they scored 26 points.

Trey Kell III and Harvey also struggled in Game 1 combining for 15 points on 7/21 shooting but the All-First Team guards responded.

Kell finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, four steals and a crucial late block on Matthew Dellavedova while Harvey had 24 points including the winner.

Sam Froling also had a big say in the win for Illawarra with 23 points, five rebounds and three assists with Wani Swaka Lo Buluk contributing 12 points and three boards, and Davo Hickey eight points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Melbourne's starting front court of Rob Loe (five points, two rebounds, two assists) and Jack White (zero points, six rebounds) were in foul trouble all night while Marcus Lee was strong again with eight points, six rebounds and five assists.

Clark then finished with 31 points while Goulding had 17 to go with four assists on 5/13 three-point shooting and Dellavedova 14 points and five assists.

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk helped spark the Hawks early in Game 2 with seven quick points but the man he was chasing around, Chris Goulding, also landed a pair of three balls for Melbourne.

Trey Kell III and Tyler Harvey then combined for 16 points in the opening period but by quarter-time the scores were all square at 29-29 thanks to a pair of late United three balls from Tanner Krebs.

Melbourne threatened to take charge with the opening six points of the second term with Justin Tatum forced into an early timeout, but he got the response he was after with Illawarra delivering nine of the next 11 points.

Harvey then put up seven quick points and the Hawks had their own six-point lead but that was back to two by half-time with Melbourne scoring the last four points including a bucket from Ian Clark.

United came out with a different look in the second half with Shea Ili unable to return after taking a knock in the first half while Marcus Lee and Kyle Bowen started in place of Rob Loe and Jack White, who were both on three fouls.

Illawarra wasted no time working further on top starting with a Harvey long ball and then Froling taking full advantage down low with five straight points.

The Hawks went on another 7-0 run to stretch their lead out to double-figures and they were still on top by 11 come three quarter-time thanks to a buzzer-beating three from Hickey that somehow bounced in.

Clark came out firing for United to start the fourth with eight rapid-fire points to cut the deficit to six before Goulding and Dellavedova also knocked down three-pointers.

When Goulding made another with five minutes to play, it was just a one-point ball game.

It was the trio of Clark, Goulding and Dellavedova that the Hawks defence had no answers for as they combined for 27 fourth quarter points including three free throws from Clark that put them in front by a point with 10.4 seconds to go.

Harvey responded with a huge three in the face of Clark up the other end with six seconds to go to put Illawarra back up two and then the game was in the hands of Goulding.

He got off a good look at the three despite the best contesting efforts of Hickey. His three ball rattled in, and out, and the Hawks held on to tie the series up in dramatic style.

Game 3 of the Championship Series will be back at Wollongong's WIN Entertainment Centre on Sunday evening.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES 2025

MELBOURNE UNITED 100 (Clark 31, Goulding 17, Dellavedova 14)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 102 (Harvey 24, Froling 23, Kell III 18)

Best-of-5 series tied at 1-1

BOX SCORE