Basketball On The Internet.

YES, there is absolutely no question the referees last night screwed Illawarra down the stretch of regulation before Melbourne brushed the Hawks aside in overtime. But it's just as key how badly the Hawks choked, lacked on-court leadership and played with abject fear as Matthew Dellavedova led his crew to a 1-0 NBL semi final lead.

Leading 93-77 on a Tyler Harvey 3-pointer with seven minutes left during the final quarter, Illawarra froze like a deer in the headlights while United's big-game experience kicked in.

What's that saying: Never under-estimate the heart of a champion?

United has more than its share of NBL and NBA championship winners and players who know it's not over till it's over.

Long before an unacceptable number of diabolical officiating blunders ensured this game would end in controversy and go beyond regulation, Illawarra's offence ground to a halt, as much due to Melbourne's defensive pressure as the Hawks' complete loss of composure.

Players who dominated now were passing up even open shots to make that unnecessary extra pass. This wasn't passing up a good shot for a great shot but passing up a shot because of the fear of the consequence of missing.

Luke Travers, Ian Clark and Shea Ili simply honed in on the task at hand and were the architects of an 11-0 Melbourne run which only further inhibited the Hawks over regulation's final 4:28.

Justin Robinson converted three free throws to buy some breathing space but there only was time for a shallow breath, Chris Goulding icing a threeball for 91-96.

Shots Gary Clark (22 points, 12 rebounds, five turnovers), Sam Froling (26 points at 68 percent) and Robinson would ordinarily take were now left to players such as Wani Swaka Lo Buluk as the Hawks substitution pattern also became tellingly erratic.

Cutting the deficit to a basket, Jo Lual-Acuil's make was cancelled by Tyler Harvey but the momentum was now in United's favour.

Dellavedova, best on court all night, not only finished on a season-high 30 points (10-of-18 shooting, 6-of-10 threes, 7 rebounds, 4 steals) but also dished 10 assists.

His assist to Goulding brought United to 96-98, his dish to Travers (season high 24 points at 63 percent) for a dunk tied it at 98-98.

Robinson's offensive foul against a blatantly flopping Goulding was outrageous but by the final minute, Melbourne was lazer-focused on winning, Illawarra more concerned about not losing.

Very different mindsets, it fell to the ballsy and fearless William "Davo" Hickey to drive to the hoop and beat United's loping frontline high off the glass for 100-98 to Illawarra.

Thank Naismith someone on the Hawks was willing to take a chance. That said, the coaching staff's decision to take a chance at subbing in Kyle Adnam at the game's death proved a massive error of judgment.

If he was in as a specialist free throw shooter, why have him inbounding the ball? Shortest player in the game, sitting for 39 minutes, now inbounding the ball? Crazy. United defended the inbounds pass like madmen, and how the foul committed by a desperate Lual-Acuil against Clark - directly in  front of an official - was waved off was as disgraceful as it gets.

That whole "sit Froling because his foul shooting is chancey" is such bulldust and such an insult. It's not clever coaching, even if that is the NBL's sell of such activity.

Goulding tied the match at 100-100 and it was, as expected, pretty much one-way traffic in overtime, Melbourne going 15-6. Illawarra came apart at the seams, haunted by the knowledge it had opened the door for United to come back, opened the door for officials to play an unnecessary role and opened the door on a level of fear the Hawks never once showed during Justin Tatum's reign.

Referees aside, Illawarra was its own worst enemy. But as for the officials, what can the Hawks do? As then-Adelaide coach Joey Wright noted during the 36ers-United Grand Final Series a few years back after notoriously being screwed: "Complain to Melbourne about Melbourne?"

Pointless. So can the Hawks bounce back? At home for Game 2, they must again utilise Froling, who absolutely ran amok against Lual-Acuil to set the Hawks on their way. And they need to hold their nerve and courage. Melbourne certainly will.

NBL Semi Final (1v4) Best-of-3

Game 1: MELBOURNE UNITED 115 (Dellavedova 30, Travers 24, Goulding 18, Clark 14, Ili 13; Lual-Acuil 9 rebs; Dellavedova 10 assts) d ILLAWARRA HAWKS 106 (Froling 26, Clark 22, Harvey 15, Lee 12, Swaka Lo Buluk 10; Clark 12 rebs; Robinson 7 assts) in overtime {100-100} at John Cain Arena. Crowd: 8,232

TASMANIA would have learned from watching Illawarra freeze last night and won't make the same mistake in Perth tonight.

Yes, the Wildcats went 2-0 over the JackJumpers this season at RAC Arena and their only loss to them was in Hobart with league MVP Bryce Cotton out injured.

Perth has no reason to be anything other than confident. But it very much could be misplaced.