Match preview: Sixers aiming to halt Hawks at home

The Adelaide 36ers are back home on Saturday, looking to get back to winning ways when they host the Illawarra Hawks in a special Indigenous Round game.

The Hawks will come to Adelaide full of confidence after beating Cairns on the road on the back of a dominant 24-point, nine rebound performance from Makur Maker and consistent perimeter shooting from Tyler Harvey.

Saturday evening's game will be a celebration of First Nations culture, with the club to wear a specially designed Indigenous Round jersey, a live Welcome to Country, First Nations performers and giveaways, thanks to gameday partner We Create Studio.

The sides have not met at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre since November last year, when the Sixers beat the Hawks by 12 points.

In the four meetings since then, three have been at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong while the fourth was during the pre-season Blitz in Bendigo.

The Hawks have had the wood over the Sixers in their recent meetings, winning three straight including that Blitz game, most recently back on October 2 when they burst out of the blocks with a 65-point first half in their first game at home for the season.

That was in Round 3, and at that point the Hawks had yet to win a game.

Kelan Martin did most of the damage with 28 points and five rebounds that night while five Sixers reached double figures but Bryce Cotton was the top scorer with just 15 points, having sat out for much of the second half.

And while the Hawks are now just one win behind the Sixers for the season, 36ers Head Coach Trevor Gleeson says he’s more worried about his side being aggressive, urgent and consistent.

“We didn't play well (the last time we met),” he said of the October 2 game in Wollongong.

“It was a bad game for us, and that's where the inconsistency comes.

“We've had a great game against Melbourne. We had a great game against Sydney, great game against Tassie and these other games that we'renot locked in.

“We're more worried about ourselves, how we're playing the 40 minutes than the opposition, but it's something that we’ve got to do a better job of.”

The Sixers have a strong history against the Hawks at home, having won their last seven meetings at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, however the visitors will be buoyed by the knowledge that the away side has been victorious in each of the last seven games involving the Hawks.

Saturday’s will be the 50^th NBL game for both Keanu Rasmussen and Nick Rakocevic.

If you can’t get to the game, it will be available to watch on ESPN via Kayo or Disney+ or live on free to air television on 9GO, while you can also listen to the action via SEN SA through the Adelaide 36ers app.

ADELAIDE 36ERS vs ILLAWARRA HAWKS
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Saturday 6 November, 5:00pm ACDT
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+, or on 9GO

OVERALL
Played 143, Adelaide 84, Illawarra 59

At Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Played 12, Adelaide 9, Illawarra 3

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Oct 2, 2026 – Hawks 114 def 36ers 92 at WIN Entertainment Centre
*Sept 3, 2026 – Hawks 100 def 36ers 99 at Red Energy Arena, Bendigo (*Blitz)
Feb 5, 2026 – Hawks 100 def 36ers 99 at WIN Entertainment Centre
Dec 20, 2025 – 36ers 84 def Hawks 78 at WIN Entertainment Centre
Nov 19, 2025 – 36ers 97 def Hawks 85 at AEC
Nov 2, 2025 – 36ers 90 def Hawks 88 at AEC
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KEY STATS

• Adelaide has won each of its last 17 games at Adelaide Entertainment Centre when playing with a rest advantage.

• Adelaide has won each of its last seven home games against Illawarra.

• The away team has won each of Illawarra's last seven games.

• Nick Rakocevic has recorded 8+ rebounds in 12 consecutive appearances - longest active streak of any player in the league.

• Nick Rakocevic recorded a career-high six assists in his last appearance.

• Illawarra is +41 with Daniel Grida on the floor and -99 when he's off this season - the best on/off split differential in the league.

• Tyler Harvey has a career average of 3.5 three-pointers made per game against Adelaide - most against any opponent.

• Keanu Rasmussen - 50th game

• Nick Rakocevic - 50th game

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