The Brisbane Bullets remain winless against the Illawarra Hawks this season after the Hawks smashed the Bullets 112-81 at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre on Friday night.
The Hawks defeated the Bullets earlier in the season in round three, and got the better of them twice in the preseason and remain a team Brisbane have no answers for after Friday’s 31 point loss.
The Hawks were led to victory by Australian Boomers squad member Nick Kay with 19 points and import Demetrius Conger with 18 points which included a number of highlight reel dunks.
Veteran sharpshooter Oscar Forman also scored 18 points, including five from deep in the Illawarra win.
Hawks import Rotnei Clarke scored 14 points including a number of key baskets as Brisbane tried to stage a third quarter comeback after being down 56-39 at the half.
The Hawks also played exquisite team basketball, registering 35 assists for the match.
Brisbane started strongly in the first quarter with Tom Jervis scoring 10 points, but the Hawks got on top in the second quarter outscoring the home team 33-18 to close the half.
After holding Melbourne United to just 85 points in a victory on the Gold Coast last week the Bullets defence lacked the same intensity as they gave up triple figures to last season's grand finalists.
Brisbane coach Andrej Lemanis said his side bring a more aggressive mindset on defence in their next match against Cairns on November 12.
"They had 36 points in fast break points and 26 points from our turnovers," he said.
"I thought we came out without the right mindset, the right intent, and right from the start of the game it felt like we were on heels defensively and they just ran it down our throats."
Brisbane import Perrin Buford was outstanding in a beaten side pouring in 18 points, but may be in doubt for Sunday's clash with the Taipans after slipping and falling heavily in the fourth quarter.
The blowout loss is Brisbane's fourth defeat in six games and though quick to point out that it is just one game and that the season is still in it's infancy Lemanis blasted his team's performance.
"That, at the end of the day is an unacceptable and embarrassing outcome for us and we need to be better," he said.
