NBL EXPERIENCE

Greg May made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks on 14/4/1985. He scored 39 points in his first game.

Coming off their breakthrough playoff berth the previous year, Illawarra entered 1985 in transition. Rising local star Tim Morrissey departed to Canberra, and both 1984 imports — Jerry Steurer and Marlon Redmond — were not retained. Long-time coach Charlie Ammit also exited, with the club handing the reins to Ted Weston. The new coach retooled the roster around a fresh import pairing of explosive forward Greg May and interior anchor Learando “Leonard” Drake, while rookie Graham Kubank stepped into Morrissey’s vacated forward spot. Brett Flanigan returned after two seasons in Sydney, captain Gordie McLeod again directed the backcourt, and naturalised veteran Jim Slacke — alongside contributors Michael Roodenrys and Ian Bartholomew — helped form a heavily reshaped rotation.

The reworked Hawks opened at home with a 112–116 shootout loss to Sydney, immediately showcasing their revitalised scoring punch. May (39 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks on 17-of-21 shooting) erupted in his NBL debut, McLeod (19 points, 15 assists, 3 steals) dictated pace, and Drake (19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals) made a strong first impression, though Illawarra faded late.

Five days later they responded with a marquee win, edging defending champions Brisbane 111–110 at Beaton Park. May (36 points, 9 rebounds) and Drake (27 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks) powered the scoring load, while Kubank (19 points, 5 rebounds) produced a breakout performance as Illawarra claimed its first victory of the season by a single point.

Consistency proved elusive. In Round 3 they were overwhelmed on the road by Canberra 73–119, an early indication of the highs and lows to come. Drake (21 points, 11 rebounds) and May (19 points) battled gamely, and although the return clash on 10 May featured stronger efforts from May (29 points, 12 rebounds), Drake (20 points, 12 rebounds, 4 steals) and McLeod (12 points, 10 assists), the Cannons’ depth again prevailed, leaving the Hawks 2–4 through the opening month.

One of the clearest snapshots of Illawarra’s peaks and valleys came on 26 April in a narrow 96–100 loss to Perth. McLeod (22 points, 14 assists) produced his season-high scoring game and repeatedly found Drake (40 points, 17-of-26 shooting, 16 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block), who dominated at will inside, yet the Hawks again faltered late.

The pattern repeated throughout mid-season. Illawarra demolished Melbourne 109–86 at home behind Drake (35 points, 16-of-20 shooting, 14 rebounds), with May (22 points) and Slacke (19 points, 7 rebounds) supplying strong support.

On 13 July, they delivered one of their most complete offensive nights with a 125–106 road win over Sydney led by Drake (45 points, 19 rebounds) and May (31 points, 8 rebounds). Less than 24 hours later they returned home and knocked over St Kilda 108–96, May (34 points, 10 rebounds) and Drake (22 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists) again dictating terms.

Their best offensive explosion arrived on 2 August in a 130–104 rout of Hobart at Beaton Park. Slacke (42 points, 6 rebounds) produced a vintage performance, May (32 points, 6 rebounds) continued his scoring surge, and Kubank (18 points, 5 rebounds) was effective as a third option. McLeod (11 points, 17 assists) steered a blistering attack that hit 57 field goals at 61 percent. Drake missed the game, but Illawarra still overwhelmed the Devils with pace and shooting.

The lows were equally dramatic. On 22 June the Hawks were routed 79–141 in Brisbane despite Drake (26 points) and May (15 points, 8 rebounds) producing serviceable lines. On 20 July they suffered one of the heaviest defeats in league history, a 81–156 collapse against Adelaide. May (30 points, 5 rebounds) offered resistance, but Drake (12 points, 6 rebounds) and McLeod (2 points, 3 assists) were unable to stem the tide against a rampant 36ers outfit.

Illawarra kept fighting into August as their finals hopes hung by a thread. On 17 August they edged Hobart 119–117 on the road, driven by Drake (34 points, 15 rebounds, 5 steals), May (29 points, 7 rebounds) and McLeod (17 points, 15 assists) in one of the team’s most complete offensive showings of the year. But the spark faded immediately, with a 127–97 defeat to Nunawading the next day. Even with Drake (49 points, 12 rebounds, 6 blocks), May (24 points, 9 rebounds) and McLeod (4 points, 14 assists) producing big numbers, the Hawks could not contain the Spectres’ balanced attack.

Across the full season, May (27.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.1 blocks across 26 games) emerged as Illawarra’s go-to scorer, Drake (26.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 1.8 blocks across 24 games) dominated the interior, and Slacke (19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 blocks across 26 games) provided reliable veteran production. Kubank (10.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists across 24 games) impressed enough to finish runner-up for Rookie of the Year, while McLeod (10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, a league-best 10.2 assists, 2.8 steals across 26 games) once again ranked as the NBL’s premier playmaker.

Illawarra ultimately could not convert their individual firepower into a consistent push for the top six, finishing 10–16 and ninth on the ladder. Their 6–7 home record and 4–9 away mark reflected the volatility of a season where the Hawks often dazzled offensively but struggled to sustain winning stretches.