The Illawarra Hawks Waratah produced a dominant all-round performance to defeat the Hills Hornets 94-80 at home in NBL1 Eastern action on July 18, 2026. The win was built on balanced scoring, suffocating transition defense, and a commanding third-quarter surge.

Match Overview

Hills started brightly, matching the Hawks basket for basket in the first quarter to trail by just 22-20. But Illawarra turned up the intensity in the second, outscoring the Hornets 28-18 to take a 50-38 halftime lead. The hosts never looked back, extending the margin to 22 points in the third before cruising home.

Key Moments

• Second-quarter blitz: The Hawks opened the second period on a 14-2 run, sparked by two turnovers that led to fast‑break dunks from guard Jake Steadman.
• Three-point barrage: Illawarra connected on 11 triples for the game, with four coming in the third quarter to put the game beyond reach.
• Bench production: The Hawks’ reserves outscored Hills’ bench 32-16, providing fresh legs and consistent scoring.

Standout Performers

Steadman led all scorers with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting, adding 5 assists and 4 steals. Forward Connor Field recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while guard Mathew Bowen chipped in 14 points and 8 assists. For Hills, forward Daniel Johnson had 20 points and 9 rebounds in a tough individual battle.

Turning Point

After Hills cut the deficit to eight points early in the third quarter, the Hawks responded with a 15-3 run that featured three triples in under three minutes. That stretch extinguished any hope of a Hornets comeback.

Impact on the Standings

The win lifted Illawarra to 10-5, solidifying their place in the top three of NBL1 Eastern. Hills fell to 6-9, now sitting outside the playoff positions and needing a strong finish to the regular season to climb back into contention.