Series In Focus: Illawarra v South East Melbourne

The schedule

Game 1: Illawarra v South East Melbourne - Friday, February 28, 7.30pm AEDT
Game 2: South East Melbourne v Illawarra - Sunday, March 2, 2.30pm AEDT
Game 3: Illawarra v South East Melbourne - Wednesday, March 5, 7.30pm AEDT

How to watch & follow

Enjoy a half hour pre-game show 30 minutes prior to tip off for every game of the Hungry Jack's NBL25 Playoffs Series, live on ESPN.

All games are live on ESPN, with Sunday fixtures also live and free on 10 & 10 Play.

More information and international audiences >> NBL25: How to watch & live scores

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Season results

Illawarra 88 defeated South East Melbourne 82
South East Melbourne 103 defeated Illawarra 100
South East Melbourne 110 defeated Illawarra 105

Stat leaders

Illawarra
PPG: Tyler Harvey 17.9
RPG: Sam Froling 14.6
APG: Trey Kell 4.1

South East Melbourne
PPG: Matt Hurt 20.4
RPG: Matt Hurt 7.3
APG: Nathan Sobey, Derrick Walton Jr 4.8

Keep an eye on...

The question every fan has on their minds entering this matchup, is how much will the regular season form translate into this best-of-three series? The Phoenix got the best of the Hawks in their final two meetings in the regular season on the back of some strong guard play, combined with a defensive intent when it mattered most.

The Hawks will be looking to overcome a 21-day break since their last game and hoping that they don’t miss a beat when this series begins on Friday Night.

While Illawarra has been sitting and waiting during the break, the Phoenix were battling it out in the Play-In Tournament. It was half-time of their last game against Adelaide where things looked bleak for Josh King’s men, before they produced one of the best comebacks in recent history to secure their place in the finals.

Of course, the superstars on each team will be ready to produce, but it’s the Hawks’ bench which holds the key to them going one step further than last season. Justin Tatum’s role players have been incredibly consistency all year long and he will be looking for them to complement his starters in this series.

On the other side of the table, King will be hoping his team’s elite defensive rating will hold true in the post-season and that they can grind out some wins against a powerful offensive unit.

Players to watch: The All-NBL First Team backcourt of Trey Kell III and Tyler Harvey have been a potent offensive duo all season long. The pair has been able to carry the scoring load, while still getting others involved and allowing this Hawks team to push the tempo in every game. 

Outside of the star guards, it’s been the big duo of Sam Froling and Darius Days that have been able to work in tandem down low to provide big issues for their opposition. Ever since Tatum moved Days to the bench, he has been a crucial piece to their game-plan, finding his feet alongside Will Hickey and Lachlan Olbrich. 

The Phoenix have been able to climb up the ladder on the back of an outstanding individual season by Matt Hurt. The fifth leading scorer in the league has been virtually unstoppable and has been able to score in a variety of ways for his team. The All-NBL First Teamer hasn’t been along, with Nathan Sobey playing some of his best basketball in the last two months to have the Phoenix ready to fire.

Outside of those two, it’s been Angus Glover and Owen Foxwell who have been able to steady the ship for the Phoenix in the absence of Derrick Walton Jr. Both guards have brought high energy on both ends and been pivotal in their success. 

What's being said

Justin Tatum: "The experience last year was not there. I was inexperienced, some of the other guys were inexperienced being in that position. Our hunger is really here this year because (last year) you had a chance to potentially taste a championship and then it's taken away because of things that we could control."

Josh King on Illawarra: "They’re lethal in transition, they’re lethal at crashing the offensive glass and getting second-chance opportunities. We have to limit those situations as much as possible if we want to win this game."

The stat

Tyler Harvey has scored 20+ points in six of Illawarra's last seven home games against South East Melbourne.

Missing in action

Both teams should be at full strength on Friday night, with the Phoenix confirming the return of Walton Jr, and Kell III and Days in line for a comeback from their respective injuries.