Hawks rule out superstar Kirk Penney for NBL showdown with Adelaide 36ers in Wollongong

KIRK Penney will be missing tonight when third-ranked Illawarra hosts fourth-placed Adelaide in an NBL marquee match-up in Wollongong.

NBL Round 15 - NZ Breakers v Illawarra Hawks

KIRK Penney will be missing tonight when third-ranked Illawarra hosts fourth-placed Adelaide in an NBL marquee match-up in Wollongong.

Penney is nursing a hamstring injury he suffered late in regulation as the Hawks beat New Zealand in double-overtime in the previous round, Kevin Lisch picking up the offensive slack with 40 points.

Without Penney, the league’s 2009 MVP and currently its third leading scorer, Illawarra crumbled in Perth, leading coach Rob Beveridge to brand them “mentally soft”.

With that damning appraisal still ringing in their ears, the Hawks were hit with the news Penney again would be sidelined tonight.
“Kirk is 100 per cent not playing,” Beveridge said.

“He is getting better every day but we won’t risk anything with him.”

It means the Hawks will be fired up to show Beveridge they can play without the safety net and comfort of Penney’s court savvy and slick scoring ability.

“We expect them to be fired up,” 36ers coach Joey Wright said.

“We’ve been watching film (of the Hawks) and they are great offensively.

Kevin Lisch goes hard to the basket.

“We can’t leave any of them (open) - (Jarrad) Weeks will light you up!”

Wright said Adelaide, traditionally able to run teams off the hardwood, would slow down their process to combat the Hawks.

“The style we play is up-tempo,” Wright said.

“We have to stop their sets and make them play defence.

“We know we’re capable of doing it.”

The 36ers did much the same against Melbourne last week, forcing them to defend deep into the shot-clock before delivering killer blows.

“What I’m saying is if there’s 200 minutes out there, we want the ball in our hands for 125,” Wright said, referring to the five players and their 40 available minutes.

“We have to keep them at the defensive end of the court more than at the offensive end.”

Illawarra boasts the league’s most potent offence, 2012 league MVP Lisch fourth in the scoring, AJ Ogilvy also in the top 10 but Oscar Forman, Rhys Martin, Tim Coenraad, Cody Ellis, Kevin White, Larry Davidson and Weeks all capable of filling it up.

Lisch defending Adelaide’s league-leading scorer Jerome Randle will be another highlight.

“Kevin Lisch is a great player,” Randle said.

“The first time I played him, he reminded me we played against each other in high school.

“He was a pretty good player then and he’s awesome now.”

ADELAIDE 36ERS V ILLAWARRA HAWKS

Tonight: 7pm at The Sandpit, WIN Entertainment Centre

TV: Live on Fox Sports 503

Head-to-Head: 36ers 62-38

In Wollongong: Hawks 28-23

Season Series: 36ers 1-0; 36ers 89 d Hawks 77 on Nov. 21 at TSA

Milestones: Joey Wright’s 400th NBL game (as a player and coach); Daniel Johnson’s 150th NBL game for Adelaide.

LIKELY STARTERS

36ERS: Jerome Randle

Adam Gibson

Lucas Walker

Anthony Petrie

Daniel Johnson

HAWKS: Kevin White

Kevin Lisch

Tim Coenraad

Oscar Forman

AJ Ogilvy

Fast Fact: The Hawks have won their past six home games.

Originally published as Hawks rule out superstar Kirk Penney for NBL showdown with Adelaide 36ers in Wollongong