It's the 'battle of the birds' this Friday night in the NBL, with the Illawarra Hawks to host the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
The Hawks are now 5-2 under interim head coach Justin Tatum and will be looking to continue their unlikely surge towards to a potential finals berth.
As for the Phoenix, they sit two wins ahead of their opponents but have only claimed victory in one of their last five games.
MORE: Menulog is serving up FREE* Delivery with Hungry Jack’s orders over $15 on Friday Nights
Who emerges victorious in Wollongong?
Illawarra Hawks vs. SEM Phoenix prediction
- Prediction: Illawarra Hawks to win
The Hawks' impressive form is simply too hard to ignore ahead of this clash.
In their last five respective matches, Illawarra are 4-1 while South East Melbourne are 1-4.
Home-court advantage will also be in play, and we can expect the WIN Sports & Entertainment Centre to be rocking as the Hawks enjoy a resurgence under interim coach Tatum.
This match shouldn't be a blowout by any means, but the home side are ticking all the right boxes as they look to secure another W.
Illawarra Hawks vs. SEM Phoenix key matchup
Key matchup: Sam Froling vs. Mitchell Creek
It will be worth keeping an eye on the battle between each team's star forward on Friday night.
Froling (15 points per game) and Creek (19 points per game) are the season point leaders for their respective sides, so we could be in for a shootout in Wollongong.
It will also be a contest of youth vs. experience – 21-year-old Froling is still in the early stages of his career while 31-year-old Creek is a basketball veteran.
Illawarra Hawks vs. SEM Phoenix player to watch
- Player to watch: Justin Robinson
There are plenty of scoring threats in this match, which is why we think Hawks point guard Justin Robinson will be one to watch.
The crafty playmaker is averaging 4.6 assists per game this season and could be the difference-maker on Friday night.
He may not command the attention of teammates Froling, Gary Clark and Tyler Harvey, but regularly puts in quietly impressive performances.
When is Illawarra Hawks vs. SEM Phoenix?
The Hawks host the Phoenix on Friday, January 5 at WIN Sports & Entertainment Centre in Wollongong.
The game is set to tip off at 7:30 pm AEDT.
How to watch Illawarra Hawks vs. SEM Phoenix
The Friday night clash between the Kings and the Taipans will be shown live on ESPN, via Foxtel.
MORE: Menulog is serving up FREE* Delivery with Hungry Jack’s orders over $15 on Friday Nights
The game can also be streamed on Kayo.
| TV Channel | ESPN |
| Streaming | Kayo |
*Available on Friday, 5-10pm until 18th February 2024. Participating stores only. Min spend $15. Service fees apply
--
Sporting News may earn an affiliate commission through our links. The Sporting News' affiliates have no influence over the editorial content included in this article.
