Basketball On The Internet.

NEW Zealand remains in control of its own finals destiny despite being devastated by foul woes in its loss to Melbourne, Will McDowell-White the hardest hit, though the NBL coaching future of Sydney's Mahmoud Abdelfattah took a bigger welt as Illawarra again dethroned the Kings, leaving the defending champs' fate at the mercy of others. 

For Sydney's vague apparition of a dream of a championship threepeat to take any tangible form, it has to beat South East Melbourne, but also pray for other favourable results elsewhere.

It does not look promising, much as the mounting foul count at John Cain Arena did not look at all reassuring for Breakers' fans against United.

Leading 16-11 and with McDowell-White on fire, New Zealand quickly came back to the pack as the fouls continued to grow. It was eight to four in that first quarter against NZ, and United's fourth foul occurred 6.1 seconds from the first break, by which time they led 27-22.

Shea Ili had a good quarter as Melbourne seized control of the game but McDowell-White had 10 points and was the most dangerous player on the court.

The clock was showing 7:48 in the second period when New Zealand again already had four team fouls. Unquestionably, there were some undisciplined fouls among them. But there also were a bunch of others that only went one way.

At 6:40 and with McDowell-White now on 15 points, he was caught defending a Matthew Dellavedova driving basket for which Delly was assessed an offensive foul.

Despite nearly every such call going their way, United coach Dean Vickerman challenged that one and, no surprise, the challenge was successful. Delly's basket counted, he received a bonus free throw and McDowell-White was off the court with his third foul.

NZ's most dangerous player on the court now was off it. Melbourne was ahead 31-28 when that crucial call was reversed but baskets by Mangok Mathiang (career high 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting) kept it alive, down 34-40 soon after.

But the inevitable was coming, Ian Clark's three signalling the start of a 15-5 Melbourne run to halftime as the Breakers lost their poise and their way.

Melbourne stroked 7-of-12 threes for the half and by the last break was comfortably clear 78-55.

Izayah Le'afa, who mostly was as useful as a motorbike ash-tray through the first half, found his stroke for two threes and NZ started the long graft back.

It squeezed the deficit back to 15 on several occasions but gave up two Luke Travers dunks. Then it crawled to 75-86 as Parker Jackson-Cartwright threw everything he had at the final term.

But he also missed two open corner threes, Le'afa double-dribbled and even when Melbourne was teched for having six players on court - some might have said eight - the Breakers could not seize their moments.

After shooting the three so well in the first half, Melbourne was 0-of-7 until Clark's corner triple with 2:06 made it 89-75, closing the door and clinching the regular season championship.

MELBOURNE UNITED 94 (Lual-Acuil 19, Clark 18, Ili, Dellavedova 12, Goulding 10; Lual-Acuil 11 rebs; Ili 5 assts) d NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 81 (Jackson-Cartwright 24, McDowell-White 19, Mathiang 17, Cheatham 13; Cheatham 12 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 5 assts) at John Cain Arena. Crowd: 10,175

RIGHT from the tip-off, Illawarra made its intentions clear against Sydney, going into full attack mode behind All Star forward Gary Clark but with every Hawk on board.

Clark opened proceedings with a three-point play, then further nailed two 3-pointers, dished an assist for a Tyler Harvey three, Todd Blanchfield, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk and Will Hickey all active.

Jaylen Adams gave Sydney its only lead at 10-9, Illawarra on an 11-0 tear for 20-10 until Jaylin Galloway iced a 3-pointer.

Blanchfield erased it, then Justin Robinson joined the party, the Kings needing another Galloway three to stall the onslaught.

A Harvey four-point play and a Hyunjung Lee basket closed the first period with the Hawks flying 31-17.

It only got worse in the second as the assault continued, Justin Tatum using his bench brilliantly while Mahmoud Abdelfattah fumbled around leaving non-contributors such as DJ Hogg on and playing 24 minutes for a return of 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting. As for defence? He was MIA.

Swaka Lo Buluk pushed the lead to 44-24 with 6:20 to halftime, sparking a triple response from Jonah Bolden. Then Denzel Valentine and Adams caught fire, the deficit cut back to 44-54.

Robinson's threeball brought the margin back to 13 by halftime, then Illawarra again managed its ball movement well, Sam Froling with six of his 11 points as the lead ballooned back to 18.

Three consecutibe Froling turnovers helped ignite the Kings, Adams dragging them back to 65-76. Subbed in for the final play of the third quarter, Lee rewarded Tatum's faith with a 3-point swish to end it on a 79-65 lead.

Sydney managed to pull that deficit back to eight with its last hurrahs, Abdelfattah failing to recognise Angus Glover, Alex Toohey, Makuach Maluach, Galloway, Jordie Hunter and even Shaun Bruce - a starter for a few weeks, now not even worth 10 minutes - might have been better utilised.

His manic sideline presence contrasted greatly with Tatum's focused work, and the final result with players such as Hickey coming up big, reflected it. 

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 106 (Clark 22, Harvey 21, Swaka Lo Buluk 16, Hickey, Froling 11, Robinson 10; Froling 11 rebs; Harvey, Robinson 6 assts) d SYDNEY KINGS 95 (Valentine 21, Adams 18, Galloway 15, Hunter 13, Hogg 11; Hogg 8 rebs; Adams 7 assts) at Qudos Bank Arena. Crowd: 14,832