'He's electric': QJ erupts, torches Phoenix for 42

• Quentin Peterson explodes for 42 points in Illawarra’s overtime classic against the Phoenix.
• Hawks blow big lead but recover behind Peterson and McGee’s dominance.
• SEM storms back from 18 down before falling short in OT.
• Shooting efficiency and star power separate the Hawks in Wollongong.

Quentin "QJ" Peterson wears 77 on his Illawarra Hawks jersey and he played like the more famous 77 — NBA superstar Luka Doncic — as he made big bucket after bucket in a rollercoaster 113-109 NBL26 Round 11 overtime win against South East Melbourne Phoenix in Wollongong on Thursday, December 4, 2025.

The NBL courtside crew described it as "one of the craziest most incredible games of NBL we have seen this season". And they're right.

Peterson, 31, came off the bench erupted for a NBL career high 42 points on 16-25 from the field (6-from-11 threes) including a deep, deep three to put the Hawks up 108-107 with 27 seconds left in OT.

"You saw him tonight," Tatum said.

"He’s electric. We brought him off the bench and he played 31 minutes including overtime. He had the same amount of points as they did in the first quarter. He’s electric. He’s finding his way, getting in better shape, finding teammates. You want to value possessions and take the shots the defense gives you.

"QJ has been great. We’re putting it together day by day. This win helps."

It was a wild ride. The Hawks led 31-13 in the first quarter, 54-39 at the half, 74-61 at three quarter time but the Phoenix mount an explosive comeback in the fourth, outscoring the Hawks 32-19 and took the lead (93-91) on a Nathan Sobey drive the bucket with 1:10 to go. Peterson missed a pull-up three to win for the Hawks but the ball was tipped out of bounds. The Hawks ran a up-screen from a baseline out of bounds for McGee who tied it up with a dunk to send it to OT.

"The W for us was huge," Tatum said.

"Losing three games in a row going into the break — in this league we could not lose this.

"We felt that if we lost this game, then we’re too deep in the hole to come out statistically, realistically, etcetera.

"So we really focused on winning this game today. The way it was is not how we planned on being it, but I’m really proud of how my team fought through it and how we started the game.

"We understand there’s a lot of things we need to clean up, but at the end of the day the gutsy win was huge for my group."

McGee, 37, has played more than 900 NBA games and is a three-time champion. He's played with Steph Curry and Lebron James.

"It was very impressive how aggressive he was and how he kept the defense honest," McGee said.

"He knocked down big shots. That’s why we got him here — we knew what he could do. We knew he was a shooter, but tonight he definitely went crazy.

"That’s a plus of being a scorer. Once you start making baskets, people have to respect you and step up.

"So when it’s him and me, it’s either you’re going to get him on the floater, or go to him when he shoots the three. And if I’m rolling, you might go up and now I’m wide open. It’s a good feeling to have a guy who can score, assist, and know what plays to make at the right time.

"We’re just trying to stay together. We have a bad habit of not being able to put together 40 minutes of good basketball.

"I was looking at the stats — time with the lead was 39 minutes and 8 seconds. Time with the lead for them was two minutes and 47 seconds.

"We literally couldn’t stay focused for 40 minutes. Thirty-nine is pretty good, but that one minute matters. We’re glad we got the win, but we’re not satisfied."

McGee himself had a ball game. He finished with 29 points on 14-from-21 and ripped down 13 boards and had three blocks.

The Hawks moved to 5-9 while the Phoenix 9-5.

Key Details

• Result: Illawarra Hawks 113 def. South East Melbourne Phoenix 109 (OT)
• When: Wednesday, 4th December 2025
• Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
• Attendance: 3,432
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Quentin Peterson (Illawarra Hawks) exploded with 42 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes.
• Wes Iwundu (South East Melbourne Phoenix) scored 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in 38 minutes.

What Happened

The Hawks established early control with a dominant first quarter, outscoring the Phoenix 31-13 to take an 18-point advantage. However, South East Melbourne responded in the second period, cutting into the deficit slightly to trail 54-39 at the half. The third quarter remained competitive as both teams traded baskets, with the Hawks maintaining a solid 74-61 lead heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Phoenix as they mounted a spectacular comeback, outscoring Illawarra 32-19 to force overtime. Nathan Sobey's clutch shooting and Wes Iwundu's all-around excellence kept the visitors in contention throughout the final period. The game featured 21 lead changes, highlighting the competitive nature of this NBL encounter.

Quentin Peterson delivered a masterful performance for the Hawks, shooting an outstanding 16-from-25 from the field including 6-from-11 from downtown. His 42-point explosion was the driving force behind Illawarra's victory. JaVale McGee was outstanding with 29 points and 13 boards, shooting an efficient 14-from-21 from the field while dominating the paint with three blocks.

The Hawks' superior shooting efficiency ultimately determined the outcome. Illawarra converted 48-from-77 attempts for a solid 62% from the field, while the Phoenix struggled at 37-from-104 for a poor 36% shooting performance. The visitors' three-point shooting was particularly problematic, connecting on just 16-from-58 attempts for 28% from deep. The Hawks also dominated the charity stripe, making 11-from-13 free throws compared to Phoenix's 19-from-28 effort.

For South East Melbourne, Wes Iwundu led the scoring with 22 points while adding eight rebounds and five assists in a well-rounded display. Nathan Sobey contributed 19 points despite shooting a disappointing 6-from-21 from the field, while John Brown III added 15 points and 10 boards in a double-double performance. The Phoenix showed tremendous heart in forcing overtime but couldn't complete the comeback against Peterson's scoring barrage.