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ILLAWARRA today fulfilled a destiny coach Justin Tatum presented as a blueprint in the preseason, when it beat perennial contender Melbourne 114-104 in Grand Final Game 5 of the NBL Championship in front of the biggest (and rowdiest) crowd seen at WIN Entertainment Centre, William "Davo" Hickey driving the club's historic second championship.

Hickey was an inspiration from tip-off, finishing the most important match of his career with 21 points at 64 per cent, 10 rebounds and eight assists, while import Trey Kell also tickled a triple-double in his return from a phantom knee injury, compiling 26 points at 64 per cent, with 11 rebounds and seven assists.

After grinding out a gutsy, gruelling Game 4 win in Melbourne in which star centreman Sam Froling (Achilles injury) was lost early and immediately ruled out of the decider, it was Hickey who led the way against a visibly tiring older opponent.

And again today when United came out shooting the lights out from 3-point range to burst to a 20-10 buffer, Hickey had eight of those 10 and 12 of his 21 points in the quarter as the Hawks grafted back.

Threes by Ian Clark (2 of them), Jack White and Rob Loe were a big part of United's early going, Chris Goulding also looking dangerous.

Kell took a while to find his feet but once he did, played like the NBL First Team selection he proved to be. Lachlan Olbrich (12 points, four boards, three assists and a big block on Clark) was huge, attacking the Melbourne frontline, Dan Grida and Hyunjung Lee making masterful contributions.

Lee's three inside the final minute brought Illawarra to 24-26 and Kell's jumper meant the first quarter ended in a 26-26 tie.

The second quarter erupted into a scoring fest as the Hawks piled on 34 points to Melbourne's 24, threes by Wani Swaka Lo Buluk and Todd Blanchfield and a dunk by Olbrich bringing down the house.

Having led by 10 at halftime previously and lost, the Hawks had to know Melbourne was coming and United steadily closed the deficit to four at 58-62 on Ili free throws.

Just as quickly, Swaka Lo Buluk, Olbrich and Hickey with a three-point play punched the lead back to 69-58 and when Olbrich nailed a jumper, it was 71-58 and the belief was palpable.

Goulding dragged Melbourne back into it but consecutive Kell jumpers meant Illawarra held its 10-point edge, heading into the last quarter of 2025 ahead 82-72.

White and Ili brought United within five again but it could not draw any closer, the Hawks always finding the right answers. 

A layup by Tyler Harvey (16 points, seven rebounds) made the lead 95-81 but typically, Goulding stuck a 3-pointer and it was back to a less comfortable 11.

With 2:20 left, an Olbrich layup pushed it back to a 101-87 Hawks lead and it was going to take a Sunday miracle for United to stall the inevitable.

To its absolute credit and speaking to its considerable professionalism, Melbourne fought the game out to the very last second, even after Swaka Lo Buluk's free throws gave Illawarra its biggest lead at 106-91.

Justin Tatum, who turned this program around from easybeats to champions, cleared his bench which gave Hawks fans further reason to cheer when Luca Yates scored for 114-101.

In true United fashion, Tanner Kerbs still stuck a consolation triple as Illawarra - the NBL's only remaining foundation club from 1979 to contest every season - added a second Championship Trophy to sit alongside its memorable 2001 success.

DELLAVEDOVA ALL CLASS

The great Larry Sengstock stepped up to the podium to present the series MVP award named after him, declaring the selection panel gave the Larry Sengstock Medal to United's Matthew Dellavedova.

That decision brought the outrage it deserved and as the NBA champion stepped to the microphone, he immediately acknowledged the panellists had erred and that Hickey had earnt the honour as the series' stand-out player. He left the podium and presented the medal over to a reluctant Hickey, already content basking in the glow of Illawarra's championship win.

Delly showed nothing but class, Hawks fans quick to switch from jeers Dellavedova never warranted - after all, he didn't pick the award winner - to cheers when they saw the sincerity of his gesture. 

Tatum exhorted the crowd and looked every centimetre like Scott Roth last year when Tasmania successfully defended the island. Todd Blanchfield's 16th season yielded the championship he sought from Day One. The Illawarra region has had its highs and lows but this was a day, a series and a season to savour in every possible joyous way.

NBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE (Best-of-Five Grand Finals)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS v MELBOURNE UNITED

Game 1: Melbourne United 96 (Dellavedova 18, Goulding 15, Lee 14, Ili, Lee 15 rebs; Clark, Goulding, Ili 4 assts) d Illawarra Hawks 88 (Froling 16, Hickey 14, Blanchfield 13, Swaka Lo Buluk 11; Hickey, Froling 7 rebs; Hickey 8 assts) at WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong. Crowd: 5,491 Melbourne leads series 1-0

Game 2: Illawarra Hawks 102 (Harvey 24, Froling 23, Kell 18, Swaka Lo Buluk 12; Kell 8 rebs; Kell 6 assts) d Melbourne United 100 (Clark 31, Goulding 17, Dellavedova 14, Krebs 12; White, Lee 6 rebs; Lee, Dellavedova 5 assts) at John Cain Arena, Melbourne. Crowd: 9,135 Series tied 1-1

Game 3: Melbourne United 83 (White 20, Dellavedova, Clark 16, Goulding 14; Lee 8 rebs; Dellavedova 11 assts) d Illawarra Hawks 77 (Hickey 12, Days 11, Swaka Lo Buluk, Kell 10; Kell 8 rebs; Kell 3 assts) at WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong. Crowd: 5,512. Melbourne leads series 2-1

Game 4: Illawarra Hawks 80 (Hickey 22, Olbrich 13, Harvey 12; Days 11 rebs; Hickey 8 assts) d Melbourne United 71 (Dellavedova, Goulding 17, Clark16; Dellavedova 7 rebs; dellavedova 6 asst) at John Cain Arena, Crowd: 10,175 Series tied 2-2

Game 5: Illawarra Hawks 114 (Kell 26, Hickey 21, Swaka Lo Buluk, Harvey 16, Olbrich 12; Kell 11 rebs; Hickey 8 assts) d Melbourne United 104 (Goulding 21, Ili 20, White 17, Clark 15, Loe 14; White 7 rebs; Dellavedova 7 assts) at WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong. Crowd: 5,686 Illawarra wins Series and Championship 3-2

Larry Sengstock Medal (Championship Series MVP): William "Davo" Hickey - as determined by Matthew Dellavedova.