Clutch McGee wills Hawks to gutsy road win

• Latest News: Read more about the NBL here
• Box Scores: All 165 games of the 2025-26 NBL season
• How to watch every NBL game in the 2025-26 season

Three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee took over down the stretch to lead defending champion Illawarra Hawks to gut-it-out 85-84 road win against the Perth Wildcats in Round 6 of NBL26 on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

McGee scored seven of the Hawks (2-4) last 10 points, including the winning free throw and a game-sealing block on the final play as Perth's Jesse Wagstaff tried to win the game on a three. He finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds to match Tyler Harvey's 24. Harvey also had eight assists.

"It was a good game — I’m sure the crowd enjoyed it," Hawks head coach Justin Tatum said.

"Us coaches were probably stressed on the sideline, but both teams played hard. Somebody had to lose, and we found a way to win.

"It’s a testament to our practice this week. Guys really got after each other — they challenged each other in the locker room too.

"We were determined to find a way to win.

"That was a big shot by (Elijah) Pepper to tie the game up. Nobody was worried on the sideline — we knew we had enough time and just wanted to get the best possible shot. Everyone was very supportive in the huddle.

"At the end of the day, even if it went to overtime, we felt confident. We didn’t shoot our best from the free-throw line or even the three-point line, but the guys found a way to pull it through."

Pepper was left open in the corner after a defensive breakdown on a sidelines out of bounds play to tie the game at 84.

Tatum called a time out and advance the ball where he ran a lob for McGee, who was fouled on the catch-and-shoot.

"We were looking for JaVale to play at the rim," Tatum said.

"Since JLA was out of the game, we felt we could go up high and put pressure on Doolittle or whoever was guarding him to either make a great play or foul — or we win.

"(McGee's) a competitor, man. He’s a great guy — in the locker room and on the court. JaVale’s making us better game by game. His leadership is unbelievable.

He finds winning plays. It’s still early in the season and we’re trying to gel together, but I feel we got better today."

Key Details

• Result: Illawarra Hawks 85 def. Perth Wildcats 84
• When: 25th October 2025
• Where: RAC Arena, Perth
• Standings

By the Numbers

• JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks) starred with 24 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, three steals and one block in 27 minutes.
• Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (Perth Wildcats) scored 18 points, had 12 rebounds, one assist, and three blocks in 25 minutes.

What Happened

The Hawks gained an early advantage, leading 23-19 at the first break and extending their margin to 41-34 by halftime. Perth responded with a dominant third quarter, outscoring Illawarra 24-11 to take a 58-52 lead into the final period. However, the Hawks mounted an impressive comeback in the fourth quarter, pouring in 33 points to Perth's 26 to steal the one-point victory.

Lead changes were abundant with the teams trading advantages 20 times throughout the contest. Illawarra held the advantage for 25:29 minutes compared to Perth's 12:29, but the competitive nature of the game was evident with neither team able to pull away decisively. The Hawks' largest lead reached 10 points while Perth's biggest advantage was six.

McGee's efficient interior presence proved crucial for the Hawks. The centre shot an outstanding 11-from-18 from the field (61.11%) en route to his 24 points. Equally impactful was Tyler Harvey, who matched McGee with 24 points including five three-pointers while adding eight assists and five rebounds in a captain's performance.

The Wildcats received strong contributions from Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (18 points, 12 rebounds) and Ben Henshall (17 points), but it wasn't enough to secure the home victory. Kristian Doolittle added nine points and eight rebounds while distributing five assists in 35 minutes of action.

Despite similar rebounding numbers (49 each) and shot attempts (Illawarra 76, Perth 81), the Hawks' superior shooting efficiency made the difference. Illawarra converted 43.42% from the field compared to Perth's 35.8%, including a 10-to-five advantage in three-pointers made. Perth attempted more free throws (27 to 16) but couldn't capitalise fully, with Lual-Acuil Jr going just 6-from-12 from the charity stripe.