LaMelo Ball scored a team-high 15 points and seven assists, two rebounds and four turnovers as Illawarra was dealt its second consecutive loss to start the National Basketball League (NBL) season at the hands of reigning champion, the Perth Wildcats.
Ball shot 4-of-15 from the field and 1-of-6 from behind the arc, with a handful of misses coming from relatively easy shots around the rim in the 103-76 loss.
Ball was efficient from the free throw line, making six of his eight attempts.
The Hawks led early in the first quarter but never looked likely after that point as the Wildcats took control of the game. Being guarded by Damian Martin, a six-time NBL defensive player of the year, Ball was always going to be in for a long night.
He got involved in the game early, pulling down two rebounds and finishing a nice reverse layup in the first 70 seconds of the game.
Illawarra looked solid to start the game but when Ball went to the bench with three minutes to go in the opening quarter, the Wildcats closed the quarter on an 11-5 run to lead by six points.
The second quarter included a couple of NBL firsts for Ball as he committed his first turnover and also hit his first three-pointer which came from the left corner.
As a team, Illawarra struggled to take care of the ball in the first half, committing nine turnovers to Perth’s three. Meanwhile, 2018’s NBL MVP Bryce Cotton led the Wildcats with 23 first-half points, his four three-pointers helping his team to a 13-point half time lead.
Like the rest of his Hawks teammates, Ball struggled in the second half as the Wildcats flexed their muscle and the lead quickly blew out to over 20 points.
Ball’s defense didn’t raise any eyebrows on the night as he was able to be hidden on that end of the floor, guarding Martin and other non-offensive threats.
Illawarra will play their third game of the season on Monday night when it takes on a fellow winless squad in the Cairns Taipans.
