The 2023–24 Illawarra Hawks season was the 46th season of the franchise in the National Basketball League (NBL).
On 13 May 2023, the Hawks have picked up Jacob Jackomas’s second year team option. On 14 November 2023, Jacob Jackomas was released as Hawks' head coach after the team started the season with a 2–7 record and was replaced by Justin Tatum on an interim basis. On 22 February 2024, prior to the Hawks' playoff campaign, Tatum signed a three-year deal with Illawarra to continue as permanent head coach.
Roster
Depth chart
Standings
Ladder
The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the overall points percentage will determine order of seeding.
Ladder progression
Game log Pre-season
|-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 1 | 3 September | New Zealand | W 85-74 | Tyler Harvey (19) | Clark, Olbrich (6) | Hickey (6) | Beaton Park Stadiumn/a | 1–0
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 1 | 18 September | @ Melbourne | L 85–71 | Mason Peatling (13) | Sam Froling (10) | Tyler Harvey (4) | Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centren/a | 0–1 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 2 | 20 September | @ Brisbane | W 88–95 | Lachlan Olbrich (20) | Sam Froling (6) | four players (3) | Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centren/a | 1–1 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 3 | 22 September | Cairns | W 108–90 | Lachlan Olbrich (18) | Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (7) | Lachlan Olbrich (5) | Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centren/a | 2–1
Regular season
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 1 | 30 September | Sydney | L 81–96 | Tyler Harvey (19) | Sam Froling (11) | Justin Robinson (4) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre4,322 | 0–1
|-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 2 | 7 October | S.E. Melbourne | W 113–106 | Justin Robinson (26) | Froling, Swaka Lo Buluk (8) | Justin Robinson (7) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre3,590 | 1–1 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 3 | 12 October | @ Tasmania | L 103–73 | Gary Clark (16) | Sam Froling (10) | Justin Robinson (6) | Derwent Entertainment Centre4,340 | 1–2 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 4 | 14 October | @ Adelaide | L 89–80 | Sam Froling (21) | Gary Clark (11) | Justin Robinson (4) | Adelaide Entertainment Centre9,108 | 1–3 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 5 | 20 October | Melbourne | L 91–101 | Tyler Harvey (19) | Gary Clark (9) | Justin Robinson (5) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre2,927 | 1–4 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 6 | 26 October | Cairns | W 84–83 | Tyler Harvey (20) | Sam Froling (13) | Tyler Harvey (5) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre1,923 | 2–4 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 7 | 29 October | @ Melbourne | L 96–84 | Gary Clark (24) | three players (4) | Justin Robinson (9) | John Cain Arena9,067 | 2–5
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 8 | 3 November | Sydney | L 83–103 | Gary Clark (23) | Sam Froling (11) | Justin Robinson (4) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre3,934 | 2–6 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 9 | 11 November | @ Cairns | L 81–71 | Gary Clark (19) | Sam Froling (10) | Tyler Harvey (4) | Cairns Convention Centre4,614 | 2–7 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 10 | 19 November | @ New Zealand | W 65–69 | Froling, Harvey (16) | Sam Froling (12) | Justin Robinson (4) | Spark Arena5,703 | 3–7
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 11 | 3 December | @ Brisbane | L 78–77 | Clark, Robinson (13) | Gary Clark (9) | Olbrich, Robinson (4) | Nissan Arena3,572 | 3–8 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 12 | 8 December | Perth | W 100–82 | Sam Froling (21) | Sam Froling (10) | Tyler Harvey (7) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre2,921 | 4–8 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 13 | 16 December | @ S.E. Melbourne | W 72–100 | Tyler Harvey (25) | Gary Clark (13) | Justin Robinson (5) | Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium3,082 | 5–8 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 14 | 23 December | Tasmania | L 89–100 | Sam Froling (22) | Sam Froling (11) | Harvey, Robinson (5) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre4,037 | 5–9 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 15 | 25 December | @ Sydney | W 90–94 | Sam Froling (20) | Lachlan Olbrich (10) | Justin Robinson (5) | Sydney SuperDome8,578 | 6–9 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 16 | 31 December | Adelaide | W 91–84 | Justin Robinson (19) | Gary Clark (12) | three players (3) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre5,101 | 7–9
|-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 17 | 5 January | S.E. Melbourne | W 116–78 | Sam Froling (20) | Gary Clark (13) | Gary Clark (4) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre4,079 | 8–9 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 18 | 12 January | @ Tasmania | W 107–108 (2OT) | Gary Clark (25) | Gary Clark (15) | Justin Robinson (5) | Derwent Entertainment Centre4,340 | 9–9 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 19 | 14 January | @ Brisbane | L 110–103 | Tyler Harvey (29) | Gary Clark (8) | Clark, Robinson (3) | Nissan Arena5,500 | 9–10 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 20 | 18 January | Cairns | L 92–93 | Gary Clark (36) | Sam Froling (11) | Tyler Harvey (6) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre3,711 | 9–11 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 21 | 20 January | Adelaide | L 89–96 | Hyunjung Lee (24) | Sam Froling (10) | Tyler Harvey (4) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre3,555 | 9–12 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 22 | 25 January | @ Perth | W 77–95 | Gary Clark (17) | Lachlan Olbrich (7) | Harvey, Robinson (4) | Perth Arena12,771 | 10–12 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 23 | 28 January | New Zealand | W 89–85 | Gary Clark (29) | Gary Clark (8) | Froling, Robinson (4) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre4,239 | 11–12
|-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 24 | 3 February | Brisbane | W 89–76 | Gary Clark (19) | Gary Clark (10) | Justin Robinson (5) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre4,991 | 12–12 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 25 | 9 February | @ New Zealand | L 88–85 | Tyler Harvey (22) | Sam Froling (10) | Justin Robinson (4) | Spark Arena3,941 | 12–13 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 26 | 11 February | @ Sydney | W 95–106 | Gary Clark (22) | Sam Froling (11) | Harvey, Robinson (5) | Sydney SuperDome14,832 | 13–13 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 27 | 15 February | Perth | W 108–92 | Gary Clark (26) | Gary Clark (11) | Justin Robinson (5) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre4,486 | 14–13 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 28 | 18 February | @ Melbourne | L 92–87 | Justin Robinson (14) | Sam Froling (9) | Froling, Robinson (5) | John Cain Arena10,175 | 14–14
Postseason
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 1 | 28 February | @ Tasmania | L 92–76 | Gary Clark (21) | Gary Clark (10) | Justin Robinson (3) | Derwent Entertainment Centre4,340 | 0–1
|-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 1 | 4 March | New Zealand | W 88–85 | Justin Robinson (26) | Sam Froling (9) | Justin Robinson (3) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre5,178 | 1–0
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 1 | 7 March | @ Melbourne | L 115–106 (OT) | Sam Froling (26) | Gary Clark (12) | Justin Robinson (7) | John Cain Arena8,232 | 0–1 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 2 | 10 March | Melbourne | W 113–108 (OT) | Gary Clark (31) | Gary Clark (16) | Sam Froling (4) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre5,631 | 1–1 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 3 | 13 March | @ Melbourne | L 100–94 | Sam Froling (23) | Clark, Hickey (6) | Justin Robinson (7) | John Cain Arena6,288 | 1–2
Transactions Re-signed Player Date Signed Contract Ref. Justin Robinson 31 January 2023 1-year deal William Hickey 21 February 2023 1-year deal Daniel Grida 18 March 2023 2-year deal Harry Morris 29 March 2023 1-year deal
Additions Player Date Signed Contract Former team Ref. Lachlan Olbrich 4 April 2023 3-year deal UC Riverside Highlanders Mason Peatling 5 April 2023 2-year deal Melbourne United AJ Johnson 14 April 2023 1-year deal (Next Star) Texas Longhorns Biwali Bayles 14 April 2023 2-year deal Sydney Kings Gary Clark 24 June 2024 1-year deal Capitanes de la Ciudad de México Todd Blanchfield 28 June 2023 2-year deal Perth Wildcats Luca Yates 8 July 2023 3-year deal (club option) Townsville Heat Lee Hyun-jung 11 July 2023 3-year deal (club option) Santa Cruz Warriors Kyle Adnam 16 January 2024 1-year deal (NRP) CSU Sibiu
Subtractions Player Reason left Date Left New team Ref. Kevin White Retired 2 February 2023 n/a Tim Coenraad Retired 3 February 2023 n/a Akoldah Gak Free agent 10 April 2023 Cairns Taipans Mangok Mathiang Free agent 13 June 2023 New Zealand Breakers Alex Mudronja Free agent 8 August 2023 Cairns Taipans
Awards Club awards Club MVP: Gary Clark Members Choice Award: Gary Clark Player's Player Award: Daniel Grida Defensive Player: Wani Swaka Lo Buluk Community Award: Daniel Grida Club Person of the Year: Scott Muttdon Volunteer of the Year: Stephen Craig 20 Years in the NBL: Joe Tertzakian
NBL Awards All-NBL First Team: Gary Clark NBL Next Generation Award: Sam Froling
See also 2023–24 NBL season Illawarra Hawks
References
External links
Official Website