Biwali bails out Hawks with speed, intensity

• Biwali Bayles changes the game as Illawarra surge late to overpower Brisbane at home.
• JaVale McGee dominates with 30 points, 10 boards and elite defence in 29 minutes.
• Hawks close on a 23–7 run after trailing early by 10 points at quarter time.
• Brisbane’s shooting collapses: 0 made threes in second half, 14 turnovers costly.
• Illawarra win the glass 46–35 and out-execute Brisbane in final minutes.

High-energy guard Biwali Bayles came off the bench and changed the game for the Illawarra Hawks before the defending champions went on a 23-7 run in the last five minutes to beat the Brisbane Bullets 100-85 in Wollongong in Round 12 of NBL26 on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

Bayles, who played for the New York Knicks in the 2025 NBA Summer League, sparked the Hawks in the second quarter after the Hawks gave up 33 points to the visitors. The Hawks went into the main break down one at 50-49.

"It was huge," head coach Justin Tatum said.

"It's been a lot on me for not trusting my bench more the last couple games. But seeing them at practice compete every day and do things, I'm the first one to say, 'Go out there and do your thing and find a way to impact the game'.

"When he came in he made an impact. Biwali did a great job getting us organised offensively — he really worked on that part of his game — and defensively he's a terror.

"I'm happy those guys stepped in."

The box score won't show Bayles impact, he finished with two points, two assists and a board but was +7 in nine minutes. But he changed the pace of the game, pressured in the full court and forced a key turnover on a double team from the backside while the momentum started to shift.

Bullets import Terry Taylor was tough in his second game and Javon Freeman-Liberty showed flashes of his quality but Brisbane simply fell apart down the stretch.

"I thought our effort was really good all night," Brisbane head coach Stu Lash said.

"Our execution down the stretch not so good. 23 to 7 in the last five minutes and just not taking care of the ball, making some key decisions.

"We don't make a three in the second half. We talked about the possession game, and 5 for 25 from 3, 14 from 20 from the foul line, 14 turnovers and give up 10 offensive boards. The math tells you not gonna win a game.

"We have to be better. It's just not our execution down the stretch. Working new guys in, there's a little bit of a learning curve there, but this was identified early and we have to be better."

Both teams were punishing behind the arc. The Hawks shot just 5-from-28 (18%) while the Bullets went 5-from-26 (19%) but Illawarra's +11 on the boards and simply being better organised down the stretch was decisive.

"We're last in the league in rebounding," Lash lamented.

"It's not just the Hawks. QJ Peterson grabbed offensive rebounds, he's smallest guy on the floor. Put a body on somebody, hit somebody, get physical. We're not doing that, we stand around and watch.

"Yes, the guys know it, we talk about it. Have to go out and execute."

Three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee was at times unstoppable for the Hawks. He finished with 30 points, 10 boards, a pair of steals and two blocks in 29 minutes.

"Statistically cool, but it's a lot of Ls under my name," McGee said.

"You don't go in the rafters if your team loses, even if you score a lot of points and rebounds.

"If we win it this year, then it'll mean something. If we don't, all these points and rebounds don't mean anything at all — it's just empty stats."

Tatum understands the challenge the defending champions face in the back half of the season and his practices during the week reflected the Hawks position on the ladder.

"Last two days of practice, it was pretty difficult," Tatum added.

"But I was really happy for my bench. Guys like Luca Yates did a great job, Biwali came in there, and DG (Dan Grida). Guys who really made an impact in practice consistently.

"It was time to trust my bench more, and as we did that, we were able to sit other guys who played major minutes — 30+ minutes the last couple games.

"We were able to sit them down and let other guys step up and make an impact.

"I'm just proud how everybody came together and cheered for each other, found a way to turn that around, and force to win the game."

Key Details

• Result: Illawarra Hawks 100 def. Brisbane Bullets 85
• When: Wednesday, 11th December 2025
• Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
• Standings

By the Numbers

• JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks) starred with 30 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 29 minutes.
• Terry Taylor (Brisbane Bullets) scored 18 points, and had eight rebounds in 32 minutes.

What Happened

The Bullets burst out of the blocks and established early control with a balanced offensive display, leading 23-33 at quarter time but the Hawks, sparked by Biwali Bayles, fought back to be done only one, 49-50 at the main break.

The third quarter was back and forth and deep into the forth until the Bullets broke down late.

JaVale McGee was absolutely dominant in the paint, shooting an outstanding 13-from-19 from the field to lead all scorers with 30 points. The veteran centre was on fire, particularly effective in two-point territory where he converted at an exceptional rate. His 10 defensive rebounds helped Illawarra control the glass, whilst his two blocks and two steals showcased his defensive impact.

Supporting McGee's stellar performance, William Hickey contributed 18 points on efficient 7-from-10 shooting, including three-from-four from the charity stripe. QJ Peterson delivered a crucial 19-point effort off the bench, dishing out eight assists to orchestrate the Hawks' offense whilst converting eight-from-eight from the foul line. Tyler Harvey added 17 points with five assists as captain, though his three-point shooting remained cold at just two-from-eight from downtown.

Brisbane's second-game import Terry Taylor's was an efficient 18-point performance on 8-from-14 shooting. Tyrell Harrison provided 13 points and seven rebounds, but the Bullets' supporting cast failed to deliver consistently. Dakota Mathias contributed 11 points in limited minutes before departing early, while showed flashes of his quality Javon Freeman-Liberty with 13 points off the bench.

The Hawks' superior ball movement proved decisive, recording 24 assists compared to Brisbane's 14 dimes. Illawarra also dominated the boards 46-35, with their offensive rebounding edge providing crucial second-chance opportunities. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc – the Hawks shot a dismal 17.86 per cent from three-point range whilst Brisbane managed just 19.23 per cent from deep, highlighting the importance of interior scoring in this contest.