Hawks Stun 36ers 114-92 in NBL Upset as Adelaide Struggles Without Stars

By Danny Kontos

October 3, 2026

07:02 AM

4 min read

Share with:

preferred News SourceSelectMeykaasyourpreferredNewsSource

Key Points

Hawks beat 36ers 114-92 at home on October 2 after trailing 0-3.

Illawarra led 65-35 at halftime with 19 assists and zero turnovers.

Kelan Martin scored 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting with five threes.

Adelaide missing Flynn Cameron and Isaac Humphries, Bryce Cotton held to four shot attempts.

Be the first to rate this article

The Illawarra Hawks snapped their three-game losing streak with a stunning 114-92 victory over Adelaide 36ers on Friday night at WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong. The Hawks, winless after road defeats to Sydney, Brisbane and New Zealand, dominated from the opening tip and led 65-35 at halftime. Adelaide, title contenders last season, never recovered despite winning the second half 57-49.

Hawks’ dominant first half seals the upset

Illawarra controlled the game from the start, hitting six of 11 three-pointers in the first quarter to lead 35-21. The Hawks extended their lead to 30 points by halftime, forcing Adelaide coach Trevor Gleeson to call timeout after the 36ers fell behind 46-25 early in the second quarter. Illawarra had 19 assists and zero turnovers by the main break while holding Adelaide to just 3-of-21 from three-point range.

Martin and Froling lead Hawks’ scoring barrage

New import Kelan Martin poured in 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including five three-pointers, to lead five Hawks scorers in double figures. Centre Sam Froling added 19 points and 13 rebounds, dominating Adelaide’s frontline. Tyler Harvey splashed three of six three-pointers while William Hickey contributed 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists off the bench.

Cotton held quiet as 36ers stumble without key players

Adelaide superstar Bryce Cotton managed just 15 points on limited opportunities, held to four field-goal attempts by Wani Swaka Lo Buluk’s defence. Cotton made 11 of 11 free throws but lacked the shot volume to lead the 36ers. The 36ers were missing injured stars Flynn Cameron and Isaac Humphries, with Gleeson criticising his team’s lack of fight rather than blaming the absences. Adelaide’s bench scored 40 of the team’s 92 points, led by John Jenkins III with 13 and Deonte Williams with 12 on 5-of-10 shooting in 12 minutes.

Gleeson demands better effort despite second-half rally

Adelaide won the second half 57-49 after Gleeson praised his bench for playing their hearts out late, but the damage was done. The coach said his team lacked creativity around Cotton and failed to generate quality looks for teammates. Gleeson said players stepping up for injured teammates must do more than just accept starting roles, pointing to movement without the ball, rebounding effort and defensive intensity as areas where Adelaide fell short in the first half.

Final Thoughts

The Hawks’ upset win ends a three-game skid and shows what they can achieve at home with energy and ball movement. Adelaide, now 2-2, must find answers without Cameron and Humphries while Gleeson works to restore the intensity that made them last season’s runners-up.

FAQs

Why did Adelaide lose to Illawarra by 22 points?

The Hawks shot 6-of-11 three-pointers in the first quarter and led 65-35 at halftime. Adelaide shot just 33% from the field and 3-of-21 from three, with Bryce Cotton limited to four shot attempts.

What is Kelan Martin’s role with the Hawks?

Martin is a new import for Illawarra who scored 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting with five three-pointers in the upset win over Adelaide.

Did Adelaide make a second-half comeback?

Adelaide won the second half 57-49 but could not overcome the 30-point halftime deficit. The 36ers trailed 65-35 at the break and never threatened to close the gap.

Why is this upset significant for the Hawks?

Illawarra was winless after three road losses and had only two wins in their past nine games against Adelaide. This home victory breaks their losing streak and marks one of the season’s biggest boilovers.

Disclaimer:
The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes. Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.

About Author

Danny Kontos

Co Founder

Danny Kontos has been a stock investor since 2007 and co-founded Meyka in 2023. He keeps a small, focused portfolio and only moves when the numbers are hard to argue with. He has waited years on a single position before. Before Meyka, he ran a web hosting company and a mortgage lending platform, so he knows what a well-run business actually looks like under the hood. This article did not come from a news cycle. It came from someone who has been watching this space for a long time.