(Daniel Eade is abasketball freelance reporter.)

An inexcusable mistake from Rhys Martin has cost the Wollongong Hawks a potential road victory and given last season's grand finalist their fourth consecutive loss.

After Hawks forward Oscar Forman converted a three-pointer to level the scores at 86-86 with 13 seconds left to play in overtime Martin deliberately committed a foul on Gold Coast Blaze forward Mark Worthington.

After Worthington was successful with one of two free-throws, Martin then forced up a tough jumper from near the baseline, 10-feet away, that missed and the Blaze gathered the rebound and secured the victory.

It has sent the Hawks spiraling downward, as the once league leaders have slumped to a 9-6 record, holding on to fourth spot on the NBL ladder by half-a-game over the Townsville Crocodiles.

The Hawks began the season impressively winning nine from their first 11 games, including three road games.

Along with their on-court success, Gary Ervin was voted the NBL Player-of-The-Month for October and November, and head coach Geordie McLeod was voted the NBL Coach-of-The-Month for October and November.

However in the past month the Hawk's season has taken a downward turn with no resurgence in sight.

The Gong lost back-to-back home games, after proving dominant at home last season when they won 16 from 17 games, they had opened the season with six consecutive home wins.

They were humbled by the league-leading New Zealand Breakers (89-85), and then were shocked by the Blaze (72-70) when visiting guard Darryl Hudson scored off an offensive rebound with less than one second to play.

The Hawks have lost their last two on the road, starting with the humiliation they received on New Year's Eve at the hands of the Adelaide 36ers (98-83), then Sunday's loss to the Blaze.

In the four losses, the Hawks have had their chances in all but one game, but when the buzzer has sounded they have managed to be behind their opponent on the scoreboard.

Without Glen Saville for the last two games, and a return date unknown after Saville underwent knee surgery, the Hawks have lost their glue guy, the one who defends, rebounds and has a nuance on the offensive end to get points on the board.

The loss of Saville is horrible blow to the Hawks and their quest to return to the playoffs in 2011.

The team is still adjusting to Martin and Dave Gruber returning, after injury had kept the two sidelined for so long, but excuses count for nothing when the team is losing game after game.