'Mc-Hick-Gee': Hawks new dynamic duo fire Hawks

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Famous author Mark Twain once said: "The report of my death was an exaggeration ..." The same now can be said of the defending champion Illawarra Hawks, who are now 4-6 and just a game and half outside the top 4.

Alarm bells will be sounding around the NBL this morning after the league's new dynamic duo JaVale McGee and William "Davo" Hickey both dominated the Cairns Taipans as the Hawks overwhelmed the Cairns Taipans in the second half to win 107-90 in Cairns.

Three-time NBA champion McGee had 28 points on 12-from-13 from the field while Hickey delivered the first triple double of NBL26 with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. He also had three blocks in his fourth game back from injury. Both were +10.

It was the first triple double for the Hawks since LaMelo Ball and on the floor immediately after the final buzzer Hickey deflected from his triple double to his teammates.

"We just put on a good performance," he said.

"I don’t get that without my teammates finishing. When you got guys like McGee, you just throw it up to him — it makes my job a lot easier. So they tally up.

"Ever since that New Zealand game, we’ve come out with more of like us, and we’re really trying to make an emphasis on that, ’cause it was embarrassing.

"So coming out — not just us, the bench guys, and it’s a credit to Cairns too. They came out and they put up a hell of a fight for just being down so many guys as well. So shout out them, shout out Fordie too, way to hoop tonight."

JaVale McGee

• ‍Minutes: 24:38 │ Points: 28 │ FG: 12/13 (92.3%) │ 3PT: 2/2 (100%) │ FT: 2/3 (66.7%) │ Rebounds: 6 (2 OR, 4 DR) │ Assists: 2 │ Turnovers: 4 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 1 │ Personal Fouls: 2 │ Efficiency: 31 │ +/-: +10

William Hickey

• ‍Minutes: 34:17 │ Points: 19 │ FG: 8/14 (57.1%) │ 3PT: 2/4 (50%) │ FT: 1/2 (50%) │ Rebounds: 12 (6 OR, 6 DR) │ Assists: 12 │ Turnovers: 3 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 3 │ Personal Fouls: 1 │ Efficiency: 36 │ +/-: +10

"Davo always just plays exceptionally well," Hawks head coach Justin Tatum said.

"Ran the team, composure, really solid on the defensive end. He finds ways to be in areas where he can be most effective.

"That’s what we expect – that’s what we’ve been missing out of Davo our first six or seven games.

"We’re happy to have him back being effective for us and helping us be a better ball club.

"We want to start getting JaVale’s minutes down to around that 25-26 mark. We don’t want to keep him at 32-33 for the whole season – that means other guys have to step up, and they did.

"We were able to use JaVale as much as we could, and like I said, he gains a lot of attention while he’s on the floor.

"He did an exceptional job tonight, and hopefully we can keep him around those minutes. If not, we’ll use him as much as we can to win games."

Illawarra had five players in double figures: McGee (28); QJ Peterson (22); Hickey (19); Mason Peatling (14); and Tyler Harvey (11).

American guard Peterson has added balance in the Hawks' backcourt after being brought in to replace import JaQuori McLaughlin.

"They (my teammates) got on me at halftime in a positive way – to keep shooting, keep being aggressive, and keep picking my spots, just don’t hesitate," Peterson said.

"They could tell I’d been a little hesitant, but they kept telling me to be aggressive because it’s going to help us out as a whole. Huge kudos to them."

The Mc-Hick-Gee combination has blossomed after Code Sports Basketball's Matt Logue reported the club "intervened" because the two stars hadn't seen "eye-to-eye over multiple issues". It came to ahead during a mid-week practice, Logue reported.

"Tensions between McGee and Hickey came to a head at a practice session prior to the horror 42-point loss to the Breakers in round seven, with a heated exchange between the pair - within view of attending media," Logue reported.

"The fractured relationship prompted club officials to intervene, getting the duo together in a room to thrash out their concerns.

"It’s understood McGee and Hickey vowed to resolve their issues and push forward with a sustainable working relationship, in the interests of the team."

Injured Taipans star Sam Waardenburg said during a courtside interview during the game said he was about "five weeks away."

New Cairns guard Mojave King scored a career high 32 points on an extraordinary 13-from-16 from the field. He had just two points against Tasmania and two against the Bullets in the two games prior.

The Hawks have eight days off until they face the Sydney Kings at home on November 16, the 36ers on the road on November 19 and the Melbourne United at home on November 21.

Key Details

• Result: Illawarra Hawks 107 def. Cairns Taipans 90
• When: 7th November 2025
• Where: Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns
• Standings

By the Numbers

• JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks) starred with 28 points, six rebounds, two assists and one block in 25 minutes.
• Mojave King (Cairns Taipans) scored 32 points, had two rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes.

What Happened

The contest began with both teams trading blows in a tightly contested first quarter. The Hawks took a narrow 25-22 lead after the opening period, setting the stage for a back-and-forth battle that featured 17 lead changes throughout the night.

It stayed that way in the second quarter as both teams traded buckets as the Hawks led 52-48 led at halftime. But the visitors found their rhythm in the third period, outscoring Cairns 29-20 to build a 13-point cushion heading into the final frame.

McGee dominated proceedings with remarkable efficiency, converting 12-from-13 field goal attempts, including a perfect 2-from-2 from beyond the arc. His 28-point performance on 92 percent shooting proved too much for the Taipans to handle as Illawarra maintained control throughout the fourth quarter.

William "Davo" Hickey delivered an outstanding all-round performance for the Hawks with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists for a triple-double. Quentin Peterson provided valuable firepower off the bench with 22 points, including 4-from-6 shooting from three-point range.

Despite Mojave King's impressive 32-point effort for Cairns on 13-from-16 shooting (including 6-from-8 from deep), the Taipans couldn't match Illawarra's superior firepower. The Hawks shot an exceptional 59 percent from the field (44-from-74) compared to Cairns' 48 percent (36-from-75), while also dominating the rebounding battle 41-31.

The Hawks' ability to control the glass and execute their offence with precision proved decisive. Illawarra established their largest lead of 17 points during their most dominant stretch and maintained control for over 35 minutes of game time. Their balanced attack featured six players scoring eight or more points, while Cairns relied heavily on King's individual brilliance.

Jack McVeigh contributed 13 points and eight assists in a solid effort for Cairns, while Admiral Schofield added 11 points, but the Taipans couldn't overcome Illawarra's superior depth and efficiency. The Hawks' bench outscored Cairns' reserves 29-17, highlighting their roster depth.

With this comprehensive victory, Illawarra demonstrated why they're considered one of the NBL's top contenders, showcasing an efficient offence and solid defence that limited Cairns' supporting cast despite King's standout performance.