At the risk of sounding like a broken record, assistant coach George Galanopoulos emphasises "everyone was united" in the Hawks after their last game in Auckland.
"After the game everybody got each others' backs and went through the ups and downs of the year so we're very happy," Galanopoulos said after the IMS Payroll-sponsored side lost 107-102 to the James Blond Supercity Rangers in the Bartercard National Basketball League.
Out of the playoffs several weeks ago, the Bay franchise team weathered a winter of discontent with the sacking of Australian coach Liam Flynn as veteran Paora Winitana took the reins as player/coach a fortnight ago to finish the season with two wins from six games.
Overall the Jarrod Kenny-captained Hawks managed six wins from 18 games to sit in seventh place, above a winless Taranaki in the eight-team NBL.
Hawks US import Suleiman Braimoh provided the platform for the visitors on Saturday scoring 15 of his 31 points in the opening quarter for 31-22 lead, but it was in vain as Jason Cadee (35pts) and Reuben Te Rangi (33) joined the party for the Rangers' 10th win.