Tyler Harvey hit the game-winning basket as Illawarra hit back to level the NBL championship series with a gutsy road win over Melbourne United.
Star imports Harvey and Trey Kell recovered from poor game-one showings to lead the Hawks to a thrilling 102-100 victory at John Cain Arena on Wednesday night.
It leaves the best-of-five series locked at 1-1 ahead of the next clash in Wollongong on Sunday.
In a dramatic finish to game two, the Hawks gave up an 11-point three-quarter time lead and fell behind in the dying stages when Harvey fouled Ian Clark, who drained all three free-throws to put Melbourne up by one point.
Harvey then responded with a huge three in Clark’s face from right in front of the United bench to put the Hawks up by two.
Melbourne had six seconds to find a response but Chris Goulding’s attempted buzzer-beater rattled out.
It was a disastrous night for United, who gave up their series lead and lost Shea Ili after a head knock before half-time.
Two-time defensive player of the year Ili, who has a long history of concussion, must now be in doubt for the rest of the series.
Foul trouble and turnovers hampered United throughout as starters Jack White and Rob Loe both sat out long periods.
Harvey scored a team-high 24 points for Illawarra with Sam Froling (23) and Kell (18) also influential.
Clark (31 points) was almost the hero for Melbourne, while Goulding (17) fired in bursts.
Kell had 10 first-quarter points – more than the six he scored for the entirety of game one – and scores were locked at 29-29 at the end of a tight opening period.
United were 7-of-9 from long range to that point but had also coughed up six turnovers and sent Illawarra to the foul line too often.
Harvey sparked the Hawks into action in the second period as United stars White, Loe and Lee found foul trouble.
But the visitors’ 51-49 lead at half-time should have been more, only for late breakdowns to open the door for United.
Melbourne reappeared after the main break without Ili and Froling exerted his influence early in the third term, with the Hawks leading by as much as 11 points.
The score stood at 82-71 with one period left and it was Clark who gave Melbourne the impetus with the home side’s first eight points of the term.
The game hung in the balance when Clark and Harvey traded blows in the final few seconds before Goulding’s near miss settled the contest.
Only one of nine post-season games this year had been won by the away team before the championship series, but both games in the title decider have now been won by the travelling outfit.
© AAP
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