Froling stars as hot Hawks crush Taipans in Perth
Sam Froling and Darius Days have starred as the Illawarra Hawks posted a crushing 102-75 NBL victory over Cairns in their HoopsFest clash at Perth’s HBF Stadium.
Froling was a dominant figure in the first half of Saturday night’s match, before Days added the killer blows as the Hawks started the season in perfect fashion.
The Taipans were only two points behind following a hot start to the third quarter, but Illawarra went on a 41-13 run after that to secure the easy victory.
Froling finished with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Days (20 points, 12 rebounds) was a force with a double-double.
Tanner Groves top-scored for Cairns with 19 points, but Rob Edwards (17 points) and Sam Waardenburg (13 points) were the only other Taipans players to hit double figures.
Cairns entered the match missing Kyle Adnam (knee), Taran Armstrong (calf) and Jackson Makoi (suspended), leaving them light-on in the guard department and forcing them to call up injury replacement player Tad Dufelmeier.
It was about the two Sams in the first half as Hawks big man Froling and Taipans skipper Waardenburg got to work with 13 points apiece.
Illawarra twice opened up nine-point leads late in the opening quarter, but baskets in the final 40 seconds to Groves and Kyrin Galloway reduced the margin to five points at the first break.
Froling was a strong force in the first quarter, but he was a goliath in the second as the Hawks flexed their muscles.
The 24-year-old scored eight points for the term and pulled down three rebounds as the lead stretched out to 12 points.
A late three-pointer to Galloway got the margin back to nine points at half-time.
The Taipans made a big charge early in the third quarter to reduce the gap to two points, but it was back out to 12 by the final break.
The last quarter was a one-sided affair as the Hawks outscored their opponents 30-15.
The inaugural HoopsFest, a four-day festival of basketball, will conclude on Sunday with title favourites the Sydney Kings taking on Adelaide at RAC Arena.
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