DrinkWise Preview: Round 17 – Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks

Game Details

Who: Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks   

When: 6:30pm WST Friday 27 January

Where: RAC Arena  

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo or Foxtel

Tickets available here 

Context

The Perth Wildcats come into this game on the back of a rollercoaster Round 16, defeating Sydney Kings 111-104 in a thrilling victory at RAC Arena, before falling to SEM Phoenix 91-112 on Sunday in Melbourne. The team was visibly drained on Sunday and will be looking to bounce back against Illawarra Hawks after a relatively extended period between games, with time to rest and recuperate during the week. Illawarra come into this game following a 86-103 loss to the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday, and while their ladder position may view them as underdogs, they will no doubt be coming into Friday night’s game with an eagerness and will to finish their season on a high.

Pre-game words

Head coach John Rillie shares his thoughts ahead of the clash with Illawarra.

“Every game has pressure right now,” he said.

“Every team has their own battle that they’re fighting now, for us it’s to make the play-offs, so if we underestimate Illawarra just because of where they sit on the ladder, that’s shame on us.

“If you’ve been watching them over the past month, they’ve been putting themselves in great positions to win games.”

Roster Availability

Mitch Norton returns to the lineup.

Tai Webster will be suiting up for the game but will not be taking the court.

Opponents to watch out for

Tyler Harvey is in outstanding form and a huge offensive threat. He comes into this game on the back of a team-high 22 points in Illawarra’s loss to Brisbane Bullets on Saturday.

Last time they met

The Perth Wildcats last met Illawarra in Round 13, defeating the Hawks 107-97 at WIN Entertainment Centre. Corey Webster top-scored for the Cats with 25 points, while  Tyler Harvey finished with a game-high 28 points for the Hawks.