Hawks Extend Winning Streak

The West Yorkshire Hawks continued their impressive form on Saturday night, securing a commanding 95-75 win over the Stockport Falcons at the Hawks Nest. With this win, the Hawks improve to 5-1 on the season, solidifying their position in third place.

The game got off to a strong start for the Hawks, who clicked offensively from the opening tip. Chris Sibbett and Rob Donaldson combined for 12 of the Hawks’ 24 first-quarter points, establishing an 8-point lead. However, the Falcons responded in the second quarter by ramping up the physicality, which disrupted the Hawks’ rhythm. By halftime, the Falcons had trimmed the Hawks’ lead to 48-41, setting the stage for a competitive second half.

After regrouping in the locker room, the Hawks came out refocused defensively in the third quarter, holding the Falcons to just 13 points while putting up 24 of their own. Dave Walsh was instrumental during this stretch, scoring 10 points in the quarter and setting the tone for the Hawks’ dominant finish.

In the final period, Head Coach Danny Byrne rotated his roster and the Hawks’ energy and execution continued to stay at a high level. The fresh five maintained the tempo, and the team extended their lead to 20 by the final buzzer.

Walsh led all scorers with a season-high 34 points. Ethan Rose and Rob Donaldson added 12 points each to round out a balanced offensive performance.

After the game, Byrne shared his thoughts, saying “Even though the result was ultimately quite comfortable, we just did not play our best basketball today. Both the team and myself expect more from us, and I hope to see that in the coming weeks and months.”

The Hawks now look ahead to a big road game against the Sharks at the Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield on Saturday. A win would propel them into second place, capping off 2024 with a strong statement to the rest of the league.