Hawks expect Days and Kell back, Harry Froling pops in

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Hawks expect Days and Kell back, Harry Froling pops in

Illawarra expect to have imports Trey Kell III and Darius Days back from injury for their NBL playoff series against South East Melbourne.

It comes as the Hawks welcome Harry Froling to practice as the big man continues his inspirational journey back to basketball.

Kell (groin/hip) and Days (hamstring) respectively missed the final two and four regular-season games as Illawarra finished atop the ladder for the first time since their inception in 1979.

Days’ injury was the more serious; the forward was substituted out of a win over Brisbane on January 20 and subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the regular season.

The hamstring issue loomed as a possible blow to the Hawks’ hopes of a fairytale second NBL title.

Days sat out of practice on Thursday but has resumed running.

He is expected to join the team for full training next week and be available for the first match of Illawarra’s best-of-three series against the Phoenix, to be played in Wollongong next Friday.

“We’re just taking precautionary reasons so he’ll be back in full practice on Monday. Then we’ll have our full team,” coach Justin Tatum told AAP.

“It’s something that Darius will learn and help his years as a professional be extended, with the way you have to treat your body.

“Not saying he wasn’t in the beginning (of the season), but since he did get hurt, you’ve got to find a way to get back and caught up.”

Recently selected in the All-NBL First Team, Kell completed a full training session on Thursday and said his recent absence had largely been precautionary.

“Once we got to a point where we clinched a top-two (finish), I kind of sat down with our medical team and JT,” he told AAP.

“That’s the great thing of having a great year and the great start that we had, being able to have the luxury of not having to play through (injury).”

Froling has joined the Hawks at training in recent weeks as he targets a return to basketball.

The Former Hawks and Bullets big man has not played since January 2023, when a one-punch attack on the streets of Wollongong left him fighting for life in hospital.

He has since signed with the NBL1’s Southern Districts Spartans for the semi-professional competition’s season that begins in May.

In late December, brother and Hawks centre Sam asked Tatum whether Froling could join the side for some light training in the new year.

The former NBL rookie of the year is participating in fitness drills, not scrimmages yet, and the Hawks have stressed the arrangement is an informal one.

But Tatum wouldn’t rule out approaching the 26-year-old with a contract offer at some stage.

“Time will tell, but seeing him a month or two early in advance definitely helps his chances,” he said.

“I opened up with open arms when I found out he wanted to come back and start gradually working out.

“It’s good to see him back after the situation he’s been through.”

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