Who Was in the Crowd When the Hawks Shocked Top-of-Ladder United
The Illawarra Hawks soared over Melbourne United in a dominant round seven Ignite Cup performance at home, defeating the top-ranked visitors 107–93.
The atmosphere was electric as thousands of fans cheered from the stands, adding intensity to the already fiery contest. Among them, supporters celebrated the Hawks’ return to form and their continued fight to defend the title.
This emphatic Wednesday night victory came a little over seven months after Illawarra defeated United in the same arena to secure their second NBL championship. Although the attendance was smaller than during the Championship Series Game 5 decider, about three thousand enthusiastic fans made their presence felt.
"United came to Wollongong as the hottest team in the league, having lost just one of their 10 games to start NBL26."
However, their previous trip to the WIN Entertainment Centre ended the same way — in disappointment. Earlier in March, United lost the deciding Game 5 of the Championship Series, giving the Hawks their second league title in 47 years.
In this latest encounter, Illawarra controlled the game from start to finish, ending a two-game slide and improving their record to 3–6. The win restored momentum as they prepared to face the Cairns Taipans on Friday night.
Author’s Summary
Illawarra’s 107–93 home win over Melbourne United revived their title defense, energizing fans and recalling their past championship triumph.