Overview

• The Illawarra Hawks defeated Melbourne United 114-104 in the decisive fifth game of the NBL championship series in Wollongong, Australia.
• This marks the Hawks' first championship since 2001 and only the second in their 47-year history as an NBL foundation club.
• Will Hickey and Trey Kell delivered standout performances, combining for 47 points, 21 rebounds, and 15 assists in the final game.
• Melbourne United suffered their second consecutive Game 5 championship loss, following last year's defeat to the Tasmania JackJumpers.
• Matthew Dellavedova, named series MVP, handed his trophy to Will Hickey in recognition of Hickey's pivotal contributions, sparking discussions about the MVP voting system.