Hawks, and their fined mascot Hawky, return to home court to warm-up for big party

Hawky up to his antics during the Hawks' match against the Franklin Bulls at the PGA. He's in action again for Saturday night's game against Taranaki Mountainairs. Photo / Kerry Marshall, Photosport

It'll be a case of better late than never for Australia-based Taylor Hawke's Bay Hawks coach Jacob Chance, who is expected in Napier on Saturday in time to help guide the team through its last two regular-season games and the Sal's NBL playoffs.

Chance has a had distance-coaching role while completing commitments as assistant coach of the Perth Wildcats in the Australian NBL, itself delayed among the impacts of the global pandemic.

He was this week named lead assistant coach of the Tasmania JackJumpers in the ANBL next season.

He will meet a high-flying Hawke's side well handled by Kaine Hokianga to a record of 11 wins from 16 matches and likely to finish second on the regular-season ladder if it wins its last two in the home fortress of the Pettigrew.Green Arena in Taradale. The matches are against Taranaki Mountainairs on Saturday and Manawatu Jets next Thursday, both matches tipping-off at 7.30pm.

The Hawks are warmly favoured to win both encounters, with the Mountainairs at the bottom of the 10-team ladder, four points in arrears of the ninth-placed Jets. They beat the Mountainairs 90-87 in New Plymouth on May 20 and the Jets by 28 points in Palmerston North a month later.

The playoffs will be in Porirua on July 22-23, with the Wellington Saints (12-2 with Saturday and Sunday matches this weekend), the major hurdle between the Hawks and the franchise's first NBL crown since 2006.

Chairman Keith Price says crowd numbers for the seven home matches to date have been good – "up around 1400-1500" - and is hoping for more as the side plays its last two matches at home. The capacity is over 2000.

A star in all the home games has been mascot Hawky, mainly off-court, apart from a moment or two of exuberance which landed the club a $200 fine a fortnight ago.

There's been huge support ever since for the sideline ace, and the man behind the image – Eleazer Spooner, a former Karamu High School basketball most valuable player who now also performs with a Hastings dance troupe.

Most NBL sides have mascots but Price reckons Hawky is the best, with few aware of the ordeal going on under the suit.

Picking the suit up from the drycleaner on Friday, Price said: "It gets pretty hot under there, by the time the game ends he's probably spent two hours in there."