Basketball On The Internet.

DEFENDING NBL champion Illawarra may have solved its Trey Kell replacement PG issue after auditioning import Jaquori McLaughlin paced the Hawks to a 100-92 PreSeason Blitz win tonight in Canberra, New Zealand earlier turning away South East in a game which saw 13 players in double figures.

Tell me it's the preseason without telling me it's the preseason.

As has been the norm throughout the Blitz, no team suited its full new roster, making most observations and critiques superficial at best.

But there's no question the Hawks were a much better outfit tonight than they showed against Adelaide, despite falling behind due to Wildcats import Dylan Windler's offensive explosion.

Windler had 12 of Perth's whopping 34-point first quarter, added back-to-back threes in the second and knocked down a Hawks bench tech free throw for a 19-point half, the Wildcats 62-48 clear.

David Okwera (12 points at 71 per cent) was also engaged but after the break, the Hawks raised their defensive intensity - finally - and rained threes, sticking eight for the quarter.

McLaughlin's third triple of the term tied the game at 72-72 and his 13th point for the period gave Illawarra a short-lived 74-72 lead, Tyler Harvey and Todd Blanchfield both also nailing a pair of threes and Mason Peatling adding one of his own.

Holding Perth to nine last quarter points was a considerable achievement, Peatling (21 points at 57 per cent, including four threes, plus six rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block) was huge, McLaughlin's 24 points including 22 in the second half and highlighted by a couple of clutch late hoops.

The Wildcats were disapppointing in the finish, Ben Henshall 1-of-7, his eight-point return supplemented by 6-of-9 free throws.

New Breakers import Izaiah Brockington (22 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, three steals) made an immediate impression, Reuben Te Rangi also playing with energy as New Zealand saw off South East Melbourne 109-101. 

Jordan Hunter was better utilised by the Phoenix than last season, rewarding the faith with 21 points at 78 per cent, and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line. Who says big guys can't shoot free throws. (OK, if you just muttered Xavier Cooks or Will Magnay, I slouch corrected.)

Second-year Next Star Malique Lewis (15 points at 60 per cent, 6 rebounds) looked ready to step up another notch but ultimately it was the Breakers asserting they will not be easybeats this season.

Sam Mennenga accompanied his 20 points at 60 per cent with nine boards while Parker Jackson-Cartwright simply picked up where he left off last season. This is not a club to sleep on.

BLITZ SCORES:

Perth Wildcats 84 (Henshall 16, Windler, Okwera 12, Mayen 10; Henshall 7 rebs; 3 with 2 assts) d Melbourne United 78 (Doyle 15, Edwards 13, Delany 12; Edwards 9 rebs; Doyle 3 assts) at AIS Arena. Q-Q: 23-17, 21-22, 24-29, 16-10. Blitz Pts: Perth 5, Melbourne 2

Adelaide 36ers 104 (White 20, Vasiljevic 17, Cameron 16, Kubank 14, Griscti 13, Cheatham 10; Cheatham 6 rebs; White 6 assts) d Illawarra Hawks 83 (Hickey 14, Grida 12, Swaka Lo Buluk, Blanchfield 11; Grida 10 rebs; H.Froling 3 assts) at AIS Arena. Q-Q: 23-17, 21-21, 31-23, 29-22. Blitz Pts: Adelaide 6.5, Illawarra 0.5

Brisbane Bullets 100 (Freeman-Liberty 27, Adams 18, Prather 16, Dalton 10; McDaniel, Smith-Milner 6 rebs; Adams 6 assts) d Sydney Kings 92 (Soares 22, Leaupepe 14, Cooks 12, Galloway 10; Cooks 9 rebs; Dellavedova 10 assts) at AIS Arena. Q-Q: 18-28, 24-21, 31-22, 27-21. Blitz Pts: Brisbane 6, Sydney 1

Tasmania JackJumpers 97 (Hamilton 25, Bannan 22, Campbell 14, Deng 10; Bannan 11 rebs; Campbell 8 assts) d Cairns Taipans 95 (Schofield 24, McVeigh 18, Stattmann 17, Galloway 12, Waardenburg 11; Lee 11 rebs; Stattman 6 assts) in overtime {87-87} at AIS Arena. Q-Q: 18-7, 27-33, 19-23, 23-24*, 10-8* (=33-32). Blitz Pts: Tasmania 5, Cairns 2

New Zealand Breakers 109 (Brockington 22, Mennenga 20, Te Rangi, Jackson-Cartwright 15, Darling 14, Bairstow 12; Brockington 13 rebs; Jackson Cartwright 5 assts) d South East Melbourne Phoenix 101 (Hunter 21, Lewis 15, Sobey 13, Foxwell, Glover, Maldonado 11, Mitchell 10; Lewis, Sobey 6 rebs; Sobey 5 assts) at AIS Arena. Q-Q: 31-27, 28-26, 27-22, 23-26. Blitz Pts: New Zealand 6, South East 1

Illawarra Hawks 100 (McLaughlin 24, Harvey 22, Peatling 21, Blanchfield 14, Bolden 10; Blanchfield, Bolden 7 rebs; McLaughlin 5 assts) d Perth Wildcats 92 (Windler 27, Okwera 12, Pepper 11; Russo-Nance 8 rebs; Rillie, Russo-Nance, Henshall 5 assts) at AIS Arena. Q-Q: 26-34, 22-28, 34-21, 18-9. Blitz Pts: Illawarra 5, Perth 2

Tomorrow: Melbourne v Brisbane, Tasmania v Adelaide (Kayo & Disney+)