Hawks Put on a Show in Home Opener
The West Yorkshire Hawks marked their return to the Hawks Nest with an 85–71 victory over Nottingham Hoods, securing their second win of the new season.
Playing at home for the first time in six months, the Hawks produced a confident team performance in front of a vocal crowd at the University of Huddersfield.
The hosts were solid throughout the opening three quarters, with their defensive pressure creating turnovers and opportunities in transition. Nottingham increased the pressure during the fourth, but the Hawks regained control late in the game to complete a memorable homecoming.
The quality of the Hawks’ shot selection represented a significant step forward from the opening weekend – 60% of the team’s attempts came at the rim, with the Hawks converting those opportunities at an impressive 60%.
Analyst Robbie East said: “We went a little bit wayward in the last quarter, but we managed to pull it back right at the end. We were solid through quarters one, two and three. The crowd was absolutely unbelievable. We wobbled a little at the end, but compared to last week, it was still much more comfortable.”
“The big thing for me was our shot selection. We took 60 per cent of our shots at the rim, exactly where you want to be, and we finished those opportunities at 60 per cent as well. You could really see the difference, especially when we were cutting strongly to the basket.”
With every player contributing points, the Hawks shared the ball effectively and consistently looked for the right opportunity. Their work at the defensive end also gave the team a strong foundation throughout the evening.
Head Coach Adrian Willey was proud of the way his players responded to the occasion.
Willey said: “I asked for a show, and that’s exactly what they delivered. That was a display of team basketball. They played for each other, believed in each other and believed in West Yorkshire Hawks. That’s the biggest win for me.”
“Defensively, we were outstanding. Our pressure created steals, stops and transition baskets, and when we defend like that, we become a very difficult team to play against.”
The Hawks also showed composure when fatigue began to affect the game. Rather than continuing to settle for outside shots, the team attacked the basket, moved the ball and found better scoring opportunities.
Willey added: “I loved the basketball IQ we showed. In the last quarter, when legs got heavy, we recognised when to stop settling for shots and attack the basket instead. We drove, kicked, shared the ball and kept making the right decisions.”
Dan “Pilko” Pilkington also praised the collective contribution after the game.
Pilkington said: “Being 2–0 isn’t a bad place to be. The defence was excellent, and offensively we addressed the flaws from last week.”
“Everyone played, everyone contributed and supported each other. Everyone put points on the board. One game at a time.”
The victory also produced several moments that brought the Hawks Nest to its feet, from full-court passes and dunks to the celebrations shared between teammates and fans.
With two victories from their opening two games, the Hawks will now return to training and continue building on an encouraging start to the 2026/27 campaign.
Hawks Put on a Show in Home Opener
The West Yorkshire Hawks marked their return to the Hawks Nest with an 85–71 victory over Nottingham Hoods, securing their second win of the new season.
Playing at home for the first time in six months, the Hawks produced a confident team performance in front of a vocal crowd at the University of Huddersfield.
The hosts were solid throughout the opening three quarters, with their defensive pressure creating turnovers and opportunities in transition. Nottingham increased the pressure during the fourth, but the Hawks regained control late in the game to complete a memorable homecoming.
The quality of the Hawks’ shot selection represented a significant step forward from the opening weekend – 60% of the team’s attempts came at the rim, with the Hawks converting those opportunities at an impressive 60%.
Analyst Robbie East said: “We went a little bit wayward in the last quarter, but we managed to pull it back right at the end. We were solid through quarters one, two and three. The crowd was absolutely unbelievable. We wobbled a little at the end, but compared to last week, it was still much more comfortable.”
“The big thing for me was our shot selection. We took 60 per cent of our shots at the rim, exactly where you want to be, and we finished those opportunities at 60 per cent as well. You could really see the difference, especially when we were cutting strongly to the basket.”
With every player contributing points, the Hawks shared the ball effectively and consistently looked for the right opportunity. Their work at the defensive end also gave the team a strong foundation throughout the evening.
Head Coach Adrian Willey was proud of the way his players responded to the occasion.
Willey said: “I asked for a show, and that’s exactly what they delivered. That was a display of team basketball. They played for each other, believed in each other and believed in West Yorkshire Hawks. That’s the biggest win for me.”
“Defensively, we were outstanding. Our pressure created steals, stops and transition baskets, and when we defend like that, we become a very difficult team to play against.”
The Hawks also showed composure when fatigue began to affect the game. Rather than continuing to settle for outside shots, the team attacked the basket, moved the ball and found better scoring opportunities.
Willey added: “I loved the basketball IQ we showed. In the last quarter, when legs got heavy, we recognised when to stop settling for shots and attack the basket instead. We drove, kicked, shared the ball and kept making the right decisions.”
Dan “Pilko” Pilkington also praised the collective contribution after the game.
Pilkington said: “Being 2–0 isn’t a bad place to be. The defence was excellent, and offensively we addressed the flaws from last week.”
“Everyone played, everyone contributed and supported each other. Everyone put points on the board. One game at a time.”
The victory also produced several moments that brought the Hawks Nest to its feet, from full-court passes and dunks to the celebrations shared between teammates and fans.
With two victories from their opening two games, the Hawks will now return to training and continue building on an encouraging start to the 2026/27 campaign.