East Spotlight | Mims lands 10 triples for Hawks

Featured image: Rob Sheeley/@robshots

The Illawarra Hawks had already locked away second position and closed NBL1 East season with Matt Mims dropping 10 three-pointers for 30 points in the 101-76 Sunday victory over the Penrith Panthers.

It was the last day of the NBL1 East regular season and it saw the Hawks playing host to the Panthers with Illawarra having already guaranteed second position by beating the Hills Hornets on Saturday night.

Penrith were just trying to avoid another big loss after losing on Friday to the Sutherland Sharks by 49 points.

The Hawks stayed home in Wollongong and opened up a 10-point lead in the first quarter and were still on top 23-18 by quarter-time.

That lead got out to 20 points in the second frame from Illawarra and by half-time last year's Grand Finalists were leading 51-36 with 8/20 three-point shooting to 2/8 with Mims having 5/6 of those for the home team for 15 points.

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Penrith were fighting hard to end their season on a positive note, though, and outscored Illawarra 25 points to 23 in the third quarter including going on a 9-0 scoring run.

The Hawks took back control with another 14-0 run in the fourth quarter and then ended up leading by as much as 28 points before settling on the 25-point victory.

The results sees Illawarra finish with a 16-4 record to remain clear in second position after making the Grand Final last year after ending up as regular season champions at 15-5.

Illawarra ended up shooting 49 per cent from the field to 37 while going 18/40 from the outside to just 4/21 from the Panthers.

A big reason for that shooting performance from the Hawks was what Matt Mims provided with all 30 of his points coming from the three-point line where he went 10/15 to go with six assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Mohamed Kone also had 20 points and seven assists, Todd Blanchfield 15 points, seven boards, four blocks and there assists, Philip Dopud 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Mason Peatling eight points, eight boards and three assists.

The Panthers finish their season at 3-17 for the identical record they had in 2025 with Jett Hickson finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Simun Krpez also had 12 points, six rebounds and three steals, Angus Ole 10 points, seven boards, two assists and two steals, Jonah Pares 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals, Jesse Weinstein eight points and three assists, and Brodie Schwarzer eight points, two rebounds and two assists.

NBL1 EAST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 15

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 101 (Mims 30, Kone 20, Blanchfield 15)

PENRITH PANTHERS 76 (Hickson 20, Krpez 12, Ole 10, Pares 10)