BOXSCORE

Eddie Gill’s driving buzzer-beater gave the Townsville Crocodiles a 65-63 home win over the Wollongong Hawks on Saturday.

The match was a fascinating affair, Wollongong giving the Crocs everything they could handle despite playing the previous night in Cairns and having just nine players suited up.

Gill finished with 11 points, but youngster Todd Blanchfield was the match-winner with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and eight rebounds.

For the Hawks, Tim Coenraad (16 points), Oscar Forman (16) and Rhys Martin (11) were outstanding in a hostile environment as Wollongong nearly pulled off a memorable victory.

Spurred by their win over the Taipans the Hawks initiated a fast-paced contest. With Martin slicing through the Crocs’ defence and Forman on target the visitors took a 19-17 lead after 10 minutes.

Blanchfield burst into the game in the second term, two early triples giving the Crocs the lead. But Martin was giving the Crocs headaches, drawing fouls at will to keep Wollongong close.

Tyson Demos and Gill were engaged in a heated exchange, the Crocs import being called for an unsportsmanlike foul to add heat to an already hard-fought game.

Coenraad and Forman then splashed impressive jumpshots, but Blanchfield and Elvin Mims finished above the rim as the Crocs took a 39-37 half-time lead.

The Crocs threatened to break away repeatedly in the third term, but the Hawks hung tough, Coenraad thwarting Townsville with a tough fade-away to beat the shot clock.

Finally though, Blanchfield and Chris Cedar nailed triples late in the term, then Cedar finished a sweet Jacob Holmes pass with 12 seconds remaining.

The 23-year-old Cedar then picked Demos’ pocket and went strong to the basket, Blanchfield jamming home his miss as the buzzer sounded to give the Crocs a 56-47 lead.

With the crowd in full voice, Martin and Coenraad stepped up and silenced them, and with four minutes to play Forman pulled the Hawks within three points with a clutch triple.

With Wollongong dominating the offensive glass, Larry Davidson levelled scores at 63-63 before Gill broke the Hawks’ hearts with his heroics.

Townsville Crocodiles 65 (Blanchfield 15, Mims 12, Gill 11)
Wollongong Hawks 63 (Coenraad 16, Forman 16, Martin 11)

At Townsville Entertainment Centre