East Finals | Sharks beat Hawks in OT thriller

Featured image: @larasullivanphotography

There was no shortage of star power and NBL talent across both teams and after a false celebration to close regulation, the Sutherland Sharks took over in overtime to beat the Illawarra Hawks 85-79 and advance to the NBL1 East Grand Final.

The two teams met in a cracking contest late in the regular season with the Sharks narrowly winning by four points at home and any time an NBL1 game features NBL talent like Todd Blanchfield, Mason Peatling, Jason Spurgin and Tyler Robertson, and it's going to be quite the spectacle.

Throw in the talent and experience with the likes of Matt Mims, Mohamed Kone, Luke Jamieson and Lochlan Hutchison too, and it was fitting of the preliminary final stage with the prize on offer to reach next Sunday's Grand Final on the Central Coast against the Norths Bears.

The Sharks did think they were into the Grand Final by the end of regulation when on the last possession, Hutchison got the steal on Ethan Moss and his prayer on the buzzer went down.

The only problem was upon review it came just after the buzzer so the game went to overtime but that's where Sutherland took over anyway to secure the six-point win and lock in a first Grand Final appearance since winning the championship in 2023.

>> MAKER WANTS TO BRING CHAMPIONSHIP TO CENTRAL COAST

>> EAST FINALS | CRUSADERS RIDE MOMENTUM INTO PRELIM

>> EAST FINALS | SHARKS SHOW BITE TO SET UP HAWKS CLASH

>> EAST FINALS | MUSTANGS KNOCK OUT THE CHAMPS

>> EAST FINALS | BEARS SNAP SHARKS WINNING RUN

>> EAST FINALS | HAWKS BOOK HOME PRELIMINARY FINAL

>> EAST FINALS | MAKER STARS AS CRUSADERS ADVANCE

Sutherland had the better of the start to be leading 24-17 by quarter-time with 14 trips to the free-throw line to just two from the Hawks with Lochlan Hutchison having nine points and Jason Spurgin seven.

Illawarra only sent Sutherland to the foul line twice in the second quarter and as a result things turned around with the Hawks outscoring the Sharks 23 points to 14 to be leading 40-38 at half-time.

Matt Mims had 13 points with 3/7 three-point shooting while the rest of the team went 3/15 but Sutherland were struggling from the field going 26 per cent but did go 13/16 at the charity stripe.

Hutchison was leading the way for the Sharks with 16 points and then things remained tight the rest of the way with the Sharks clinging to the 58-56 lead by three quarter-time.

Illawarra found themselves five points up with two minutes to go after triples to Todd Blanchfield and Ethan Moss but in the final a minute a couple of Hutchison to Spurgin alley-oop finishes had Sutherland back in front by a point with 30 seconds to go.

Tyler Robertson stretched that lead to three with two more free throws before Blanchfield was fouled attempting a three and the MVP knocked them all down.

But then there was the dramatic finish to regulation where Hutchison thought he'd hit the game winner following the steal but scores remained level at 72-72 after four quarters.

Sutherland then controlled overtime and of their 13 points, 11 of them came at the foul line and they secured the six-point victory to advance to next Sunday's Grand Final.

Illawarra did shoot slightly better from the field with 30 per cent shooting to 25 and 12/46 from the outside to 8/36, but Sutherland won the game at the foul line going 35/41 to the 11/14 from the Hawks.

Sutherland will go into the Grand Final having won 11 of their last 12 games now with Lochlan Hutchison finishing with 22 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals.

Tyler Robertson added 19 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks, Jason Spurgin 19 points, 13 boards and two assists, Luke Jamison 13 points and 14 rebounds, and Adrian Cabrera five points, nine boards and three assists.

Illawarra couldn’t quite get back to a Grand Final for the second straight year with Todd Blanchfield finishing with 16 points, 21 rebounds, two assists and two blocks but only managing to shoot 3/13 from the outside.

Matt Mims top scored with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals with Mohamed Kone contributing 17 points, seven boards and three steals, Ethan Moss 11 points, eight rebound and four assists, and Mason Peatling 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks.

NBL1 EAST 2026 SEASON | PRELIMINARY FINAL

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 79 (Mims 18, Kone 17, Blanchfield 16)

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 85 (Hutchison 22, Spurgin 19, Robertson 19)