Illawarra finally found an answer when Perth threatened to steal Saturday night's game. Johny Narkle scored nine of his 11 points in the last quarter, Kelan Martin buried five three-pointers, and the Hawks escaped RAC Arena with a 105–98 win. The result lifted them to 3–8, but it also gave NBL27 fantasy managers a more interesting collection of roles to examine before a two-game Round 8.
The Hawks had led by nine at three-quarter time before Perth opened the fourth with a 17–6 burst and briefly took the lead. Narkle stopped the swing with a four-point play, added three free throws on the next possession and later finished a dunk. The NBL match report credits him with seven consecutive points at the decisive moment. That was genuine late-game responsibility, even if 11 total points should not suddenly make him the first name on every fantasy shopping list.
Martin's response was just as striking. He had scored only four points on 2-of-14 shooting across his previous two games, then produced 23 against Perth, making five of 10 attempts from deep. His early shooting helped Illawarra build a half-time lead, and another three kept the Wildcats at arm's length late. The important question is whether the Hawks can keep generating those looks, rather than whether one hot night has permanently repaired his scoring form.
William Hickey offered a different kind of value: nine points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He was one contribution in each category away from a much louder headline, but his all-round production deserves attention without a triple-double attached. Makur Maker added 21 points and five rebounds, while Wani Swaka Lo Buluk scored 15 and Tyler Harvey supplied 11 points with seven assists. Illawarra did not have to lean on one scorer to survive the Perth comeback.
Perth's fantasy numbers were mixed rather than uniformly poor. Anthony Dell'Orso led the Wildcats with 21 points and three steals. Dylan Windler finished with 19 points and four steals; Kristian Doolittle contributed 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Those are meaningful multi-category returns in a loss. Brandon Knight's 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting were a rougher night, particularly with Swaka Lo Buluk applying pressure. A single inefficient shooting game should be weighed against Knight's wider role, not used as a verdict on his season.
The official Illawarra fixture gives the Hawks trips to Cairns on Thursday 5 November and Adelaide on Saturday 7 November. Perth also have two Round 8 games, visiting Brisbane on Wednesday before hosting Cairns on Sunday, according to the Wildcats schedule. That puts both clubs back into SuperCoach calculations quickly. Martin's shot volume, Hickey's ball-handling and the Windler–Doolittle partnership are all worth comparing across the double rather than treating this one result as a finished assessment.
In Fantasy Draft, Narkle's late burst makes him a player to monitor in deeper leagues, but a manager should check whether he is eligible and actually unrostered before considering a claim. Hickey's 9–8–8 is the stronger evidence of an all-round contribution, while Martin's shooting rebound is an invitation to watch his next two outings. The Hawks finally won a tight one on the road. Now they have two more chances to show which parts of it will stick.
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