Illawarra Hawks superstar Trey Kell III set to return for game five of the NBL grand final series on Sunday

The NBL grand final will go to a fifth and deciding game and the hosts for the decider could get some positive injury news after losing a star.

Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum is confident superstar Trey Kell III will return for Sunday’s all-or-nothing fifth game of the grand final series after missing his team’s stunning road win in Melbourne to keep their title hopes alive.

Despite trailing 2-1 in a best-of-five championship series, playing on the road in a sold-out and intimidating John Cain Arena with two highly influential starters injured and being written off by all, Tatum still believed his side had it in them to produce an upset for the ages.

The Hawks delivered one of the bravest performances you are ever likely to witness, coming away with an 80-71 win over a battle-tested Melbourne United team that had all of the momentum, the experience of a championship series 12 months ago and probably the champagne already on ice.

“For sure, it was determined,” Tatum said.

“Our back was against the wall.

Justin Tatum’s Hawks played like there was ‘no tomorrow’. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“There was no tomorrow unless we created it.

“There’s nothing I can draw up or say (at half time) to encourage 12 professional basketball players to come out here and fight for their lives as for the championship.”

This was a test of Illawarra’s depth and it passed with flying colours.

It was as deep as the Hawks have had to go into their roster, with superstar Trey Kell III failing a fitness test on his knee pre-game and centre Sam Froling injuring his achilles in the second quarter.

“We haven’t really been in that situation all year, so it was a first for us,” Tatum said.

“As you guys know, all year it’s been about our bench, it’s been about our depth.

“It’s unfortunate situations with Trey and Sam right now, but it’s about our depth, next guys up.

“The way the guys fought today was pretty good.”

Sam Froling, who was injured in game four, and Trey Kell, who is likely to be back in game five. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Froling will almost certainly miss the series deciding game five on Sunday.

He will have scans on his right achilles in a miraculous bid to play.

Tatum is optimistic that Kell will be available to play, saying he was “extremely (close)” to playing game four.

“Trey should be OK by Sunday, should be,” Tatum said.

“He’s a competitor, I’m sure at the end of the day nobody wants not to play in the grand final championship game.

“If I can’t get close to 100 per cent effort (he will play), but I don’t want nobody to use anything as a crutch, we’ve just got to go to the next man up and Davo (Will Hickey) did well”.

Hickey was stellar in Kell’s absence with 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds, while Lachie Olbrich, with 13 points and six rebounds, was superb in his extra minutes stepping up for Froling.

“His energy man, his determination,” Tatum said of Hickey.

“He understood that he was going to potentially start a day ago.

“He was locked to the scout of what he needed to do and how he could be more effective because when Melbourne plays a five or four on him, it kind of disrupted us for the first couple of games.

Froling is unlikely to play in the decider. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“He was just unbelievably locked in.”

Tatum said the Hawks’ confidence was “through the roof” entering game four.

“It (the confidence) never dropped,” he said.

“Statistically wise, we don’t lose two games back to back often or at all this season.

“We felt at the end of the day, we just trusted in our work and we wanted to force a game five and that’s what we did.”

Originally published as Illawarra Hawks superstar Trey Kell III set to return for game five of the NBL grand final series on Sunday