# 2023–24 Illawarra Hawks season

The 2023–24 Illawarra Hawks season was the 46th season of the franchise in the National Basketball League (NBL).
On 13 May 2023, the Hawks have picked up Jacob Jackomas’s second year team option. On 14 November 2023, Jacob Jackomas was released as Hawks' head coach after the team started the season with a 2–7 record and was replaced by Justin Tatum on an interim basis. On 22 February 2024, prior to the Hawks' playoff campaign, Tatum signed a three-year deal with Illawarra to continue as permanent head coach.

## Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

### Depth chart

| Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2 | Development |
| PG | Justin Robinson | William Hickey | AJ Johnson | Biwali Bayles |
| SG | Tyler Harvey | Lee Hyun-jung | Wani Swaka Lo Buluk | Kyle Adnam |
| SF | Todd Blanchfield | Daniel Grida | Harry Morris | |
| PF | Gary Clark | Mason Peatling | | |
| C | Sam Froling | Lachlan Olbrich | Luca Yates | |

## Standings
### Ladder

| Pos | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte | 2023–24 NBL season vte |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP |
| 1 | Melbourne United | 28 | 20 | 8 | 71.43% | 3–2 | W1 | 11–3 | 9–5 | 2615 | 2454 | 106.56% |
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 28 | 17 | 11 | 60.71% | 2–3 | L2 | 10–4 | 7–7 | 2630 | 2563 | 102.61% |
| 3 | Tasmania JackJumpers | 28 | 16 | 12 | 57.14% | 4–1 | W4 | 8–6 | 8–6 | 2564 | 2378 | 107.82% |
| 4 | Illawarra Hawks | 28 | 14 | 14 | 50.00% | 3–2 | L1 | 8–6 | 6–8 | 2547 | 2518 | 101.15% |
| 5 | Sydney Kings | 28 | 13 | 15 | 46.43% | 2–3 | W1 | 7–7 | 6–8 | 2672 | 2602 | 102.69% |
| 6 | New Zealand Breakers | 28 | 13 | 15 | 46.43% | 3–2 | L1 | 8–6 | 5–9 | 2498 | 2480 | 100.73% |
| 7 | Brisbane Bullets | 28 | 13 | 15 | 46.43% | 2–3 | L1 | 8–6 | 5–9 | 2458 | 2534 | 97.00% |
| 8 | Cairns Taipans | 28 | 12 | 16 | 42.86% | 1–4 | W1 | 7–7 | 5–9 | 2506 | 2589 | 96.79% |
| 9 | Adelaide 36ers | 28 | 12 | 16 | 42.86% | 3–2 | W1 | 9–5 | 3–11 | 2457 | 2563 | 95.86% |
| 10 | S.E. Melbourne Phoenix | 28 | 10 | 18 | 35.71% | 1–4 | L4 | 7–7 | 3–11 | 2425 | 2691 | 90.12% |
Updated to match(es) played on 18 February 2024. Source: NBL.com.au
The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the overall points percentage will determine order of seeding.

### Ladder progression

* Leader and qualification to semifinals
* Qualification to semifinals
* Qualification to play-in games
* Last place
2023–24 NBL season :
| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Adelaide 36ers | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Brisbane Bullets | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Cairns Taipans | 8 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Illawarra Hawks | 10 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Melbourne United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| New Zealand Breakers | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Perth Wildcats | 6 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| S.E. Melbourne Phoenix | 5 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Sydney Kings | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Tasmania JackJumpers | 7 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |

## Game log
### Pre-season

2023 NBL Blitz game log Total: 2–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–1) :
September: 2–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
18 September
@ Melbourne
L 85–71
Mason Peatling (13)
Sam Froling (10)
Tyler Harvey (4)
Gold Coast Convention Centre n/a
0–1
2
20 September
@ Brisbane
W 88–95
Lachlan Olbrich (20)
Sam Froling (6)
four players (3)
Gold Coast Convention Centre n/a
1–1
3
22 September
Cairns
W 108–90
Lachlan Olbrich (18)
Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (7)
Lachlan Olbrich (5)
Gold Coast Convention Centre n/a
2–1 :

### Regular season

2023–24 game log Total: 14–14 (Home: 8–6; Road: 6–8) :
September: 0–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
30 September
Sydney
L 81–96
Tyler Harvey (19)
Sam Froling (11)
Justin Robinson (4)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 4,322
0–1 :
October: 2–4 (Home: 2–1; Road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
2
7 October
S.E. Melbourne
W 113–106
Justin Robinson (26)
Froling, Swaka Lo Buluk (8)
Justin Robinson (7)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 3,590
1–1
3
12 October
@ Tasmania
L 103–73
Gary Clark (16)
Sam Froling (10)
Justin Robinson (6)
Derwent Entertainment Centre 4,340
1–2
4
14 October
@ Adelaide
L 89–80
Sam Froling (21)
Gary Clark (11)
Justin Robinson (4)
Adelaide Entertainment Centre 9,108
1–3
5
20 October
Melbourne
L 91–101
Tyler Harvey (19)
Gary Clark (9)
Justin Robinson (5)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 2,927
1–4
6
26 October
Cairns
W 84–83
Tyler Harvey (20)
Sam Froling (13)
Tyler Harvey (5)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 1,923
2–4
7
29 October
@ Melbourne
L 96–84
Gary Clark (24)
three players (4)
Justin Robinson (9)
John Cain Arena 9,067
2–5 :
November: 1–2 (Home: 0–1; Road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
8
3 November
Sydney
L 83–103
Gary Clark (23)
Sam Froling (11)
Justin Robinson (4)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 3,934
2–6
9
11 November
@ Cairns
L 81–71
Gary Clark (19)
Sam Froling (10)
Tyler Harvey (4)
Cairns Convention Centre 4,614
2–7
10
19 November
@ New Zealand
W 65–69
Froling, Harvey (16)
Sam Froling (12)
Justin Robinson (4)
Spark Arena 5,703
3–7 :
December: 4–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
11
3 December
@ Brisbane
L 78–77
Clark, Robinson (13)
Gary Clark (9)
Olbrich, Robinson (4)
Nissan Arena 3,572
3–8
12
8 December
Perth
W 100–82
Sam Froling (21)
Sam Froling (10)
Tyler Harvey (7)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 2,921
4–8
13
16 December
@ S.E. Melbourne
W 72–100
Tyler Harvey (25)
Gary Clark (13)
Justin Robinson (5)
Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium 3,082
5–8
14
23 December
Tasmania
L 89–100
Sam Froling (22)
Sam Froling (11)
Harvey, Robinson (5)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 4,037
5–9
15
25 December
@ Sydney
W 90–94
Sam Froling (20)
Lachlan Olbrich (10)
Justin Robinson (5)
Sydney SuperDome 8,578
6–9
16
31 December
Adelaide
W 91–84
Justin Robinson (19)
Gary Clark (12)
three players (3)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 5,101
7–9 :
January: 4–3 (Home: 2–2; Road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
17
5 January
S.E. Melbourne
W 116–78
Sam Froling (20)
Gary Clark (13)
Gary Clark (4)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 4,079
8–9
18
12 January
@ Tasmania
W 107–108 (2OT)
Gary Clark (25)
Gary Clark (15)
Justin Robinson (5)
Derment Entertainment Centre 4,340
9–9
19
14 January
@ Brisbane
L 110–103
Tyler Harvey (29)
Gary Clark (8)
Clark, Robinson (3)
Nissan Arena 5,500
9–10
20
18 January
Cairns
L 92–93
Gary Clark (36)
Sam Froling (11)
Tyler Harvey (6)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 3,711
9–11
21
20 January
Adelaide
L 89–96
Hyunjung Lee (24)
Sam Froling (10)
Tyler Harvey (4)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 3,555
9–12
22
25 January
@ Perth
W 77–95
Gary Clark (17)
Lachlan Olbrich (7)
Harvey, Robinson (4)
Perth Arena 12,771
10–12
23
28 January
New Zealand
W 89–85
Gary Clark (29)
Gary Clark (8)
Froling, Robinson (4)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 4,239
11–12 :
February: 3–2 (Home: 2–0; Road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
24
3 February
Brisbane
W 89–76
Gary Clark (19)
Gary Clark (10)
Justin Robinson (5)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 4,991
12–12
25
9 February
@ New Zealand
L 88–85
Tyler Harvey (22)
Sam Froling (10)
Justin Robinson (4)
Spark Arena 3,941
12–13
26
11 February
@ Sydney
W 95–106
Gary Clark (22)
Sam Froling (11)
Harvey, Robinson (5)
Sydney SuperDome 14,832
13–13
27
15 February
Perth
W 108–92
Gary Clark (26)
Gary Clark (11)
Justin Robinson (5)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 4,486
14–13
28
18 February
@ Melbourne
L 92–87
Justin Robinson (14)
Sam Froling (9)
Froling, Robinson (5)
John Cain Arena 10,175
14–14 :
2023–24 season schedule :

### Postseason

2024 finals game log Total: 2–3 (Home: 2–0; Road: 0–3) :
Seeding qualifier: 0–1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
28 February
@ Tasmania
L 92–76
Gary Clark (21)
Gary Clark (10)
Justin Robinson (3)
Derwent Entertainment Centre 4,340
0–1 :
Play-in game: 1–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
4 March
New Zealand
W 88–85
Justin Robinson (26)
Sam Froling (9)
Justin Robinson (3)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 5,178
1–0 :
Semifinals: 1–2 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
7 March
@ Melbourne
L 115–106 (OT)
Sam Froling (26)
Gary Clark (12)
Justin Robinson (7)
John Cain Arena 8,232
0–1
2
10 March
Melbourne
W 113–108 (OT)
Gary Clark (31)
Gary Clark (16)
Sam Froling (4)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre 5,631
1–1
3
13 March
@ Melbourne
L 100–94
Sam Froling (23)
Clark, Hickey (6)
Justin Robinson (7)
John Cain Arena 6,288
1–2 :
2024 finals schedule :

## Transactions
### Re-signed

| Player | Date Signed | Contract |
| Justin Robinson | 31 January 2023 | 1-year deal |
| William Hickey | 21 February 2023 | 1-year deal |
| Daniel Grida | 18 March 2023 | 2-year deal |
| Harry Morris | 29 March 2023 | 1-year deal |

### Additions

| Player | Date Signed | Contract | Former team |
| Lachlan Olbrich | 4 April 2023 | 3-year deal | UC Riverside Highlanders |
| Mason Peatling | 5 April 2023 | 2-year deal | Melbourne United |
| AJ Johnson | 14 April 2023 | 1-year deal (Next Star) | Texas Longhorns |
| Biwali Bayles | 14 April 2023 | 2-year deal | Sydney Kings |
| Gary Clark | 24 June 2024 | 1-year deal | Capitanes de Ciudad de México |
| Todd Blanchfield | 28 June 2023 | 2-year deal | Perth Wildcats |
| Luca Yates | 8 July 2023 | 3-year deal (club option) | Townsville Heat |
| Lee Hyun-jung | 11 July 2023 | 3-year deal (club option) | Santa Cruz Warriors |
| Kyle Adnam | 16 January 2024 | 1-year deal (NRP) | CSU Sibiu |

### Subtractions

| Player | Reason left | Date Left | New team |
| Kevin White | Retired | 2 February 2023 | n/a |
| Tim Coenraad | Retired | 3 February 2023 | n/a |
| Akoldah Gak | Free agent | 10 April 2023 | Cairns Taipans |
| Mangok Mathiang | Free agent | 13 June 2023 | New Zealand Breakers |
| Alex Mudronja | Free agent | 8 August 2023 | Cairns Taipans |

## Awards
### Club awards

* Club MVP: Gary Clark
* Community Award: Daniel Grida
* Defensive Player: Wani Swaka Lo Buluk
* Members Award: Gary Clark
* Club Person of the Year: Scott Muttdon
* Volunteer of the Year: Stephen Craig
* Player's Player Award: Daniel Grida
* 20 Years in the NBL: Joe Tertzakian