BOXSCORE


A dominant third-quarter performance by the Townsville Crocodiles has set up a 72-57 win over the Wollongong Hawks on Saturday.

The Crocodiles squeezed the life out of the Hawks during a stunning 24-6 third period, responding with gusto after coach Paul Woolpert was ejected moments before half-time.

Wollongong mounted a fight-back in the fourth behind a 12-1 start to the period, but Townsville responded with a much-needed 7-0 spurt capped by a Peter Crawford triple to keep the struggling Hawks grounded at 3-11 on the season.

Townsville were led by Jacob Holmes (13 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists) and Luke Schenscher (11 points), while Chris Cedar scored all 15 of his points after the long break.

Larry Davidson had 11 points for the Hawks, while Showron Glover (8 points, 5 assists, 4 steals) energised Wollongong's second unit.

The injection of Glover late in the opening quarter helped the Hawks etch a brief three-point edge, but consecutive triples by Holmes to close the period saw the visitors skip ahead 17-14.

With 28 seconds left in the half and his team up by seven, Woolpert was spectacularly thrown out of the game after a heated argument with referee Michael Aylen.

The Hawks only benefited from a brief momentum swing, pulling within three points on a backcourt steal and layup by Glover, before Crawford connected on a massive 30-foot bomb on the buzzer to put the Crocs up 35-29.

Townsville consolidated in the third with Schenscher producing six points during a scorching 14-0 run, blowing the game open at 49-29.

Joevan Catron finally ended the drought with a second-effort bucket inside as the visitors went on to own a 59-35 scoreline heading into the fourth, from where they weathered the brief Hawks' storm.

Townsville Crocodiles 72 (Cedar 15, Holmes 13, Schenscher 11)
Wollongong Hawks 57 (Davidson 11, Glover 8, Catron 7)

Crowd: 2902 at WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong