Surfers Surge Past Hawks 103-90 Behind Mortensen's Masterclass

MILAN – The Sydney Surfers rode a stellar offensive performance and a clutch second-half surge to defeat the Milan Hawks 103-90 in a crucial Pro League matchup. After a tightly contested first half, the Surfers found their rhythm, outscoring the Hawks 55-40 in the second half to secure a vital road win.

The game began with both teams trading baskets. The Hawks, fueled by the home crowd, showed early promise as Kwame Nkosi and Emanuel Lopez knocked down early triples. However, the Surfers, led by the explosive Rafe Mortensen, consistently answered back. Mortensen, who finished with a game-high 20 points, was a force on both ends of the floor, making key baskets and pulling down critical rebounds.

The momentum truly began to shift in the third quarter. The Surfers’ defense tightened, forcing several Milan turnovers that were converted into fastbreak points. Omar Al-Hassan was instrumental in this defensive shift, recording 3 steals and igniting the Surfers’ transition game. “We knew we had to pick up our intensity on defense,” Al-Hassan stated post-game. “When we do that, our offense flows.”

The Hawks struggled to find consistent scoring, despite a strong rebounding effort from Nkosi and Dorothea Henderson. While several players contributed offensively for Milan, including double-digit efforts from Lopez, Nkosi, and Elara Ortega, they couldn’t match the Surfers’ balanced attack. Noah Suzuki added 14 points and 9 rebounds for Sydney, while Brennan Cole chipped in with 11.

“We played hard, but their offense was too much for us to contain tonight,” said Hawks’ coach, Giovanni Rossi. “We have to learn from this and get back to work.”

Key Notes:

• Rafe Mortensen led all scorers with 20 points for the Sydney Surfers.
• Milan Hawks’ Kwame Nkosi recorded a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds.
• Sydney Surfers outscored the Milan Hawks 55-40 in the second half.
• Omar Al-Hassan’s 3 steals were crucial in sparking Sydney’s transition game.