(DANIEL EADE is a freelance journalist, NBL fan and basketball contributor for BPL.)  

The spark that both Bennie Lewis and Lucas Walker provided off the bench for the Melbourne Tigers was unquestionably instrumental in their domination of the Wollongong Hawks last Sunday, as the Tigers ignored a week of controversy in the lead-up to tip-off with a wire-to-wire victory.

With Darryl McDonald elevated to interim head coach, following the dismissal mid-week of Al Westover, the Tigers produced arguably their most complete game of the season to wipe the Hawks off the floor using energy and enthusiasm levels not seen in quite some time by the boys in red.

Lewis finished the game with 15 points, in 17 minutes, which featured a pair of back-breaking triples within the first minute of action he played late in the first quarter, and his night was capped off with an alley-oop dunk from a Corey Williams' assist that he flushed with one hand on the break.

Walker closed the night with 17 points on a perfect 6/6 from the field, in 20 minutes of playing time, highlighted by two monster slam dunks, one off an offensive rebound and the other, also, on an alley-oop lob from Williams on the break.

"Bennie (Lewis) can play," said McDonald post-game, "I think with him it was just opportunity. That's the same with Lucas (Walker), I think the good outweigh the bad with them.

"They're going to make mistakes but I think what they're going to do is more good than bad.

"Me and Wazza (assistant coach Warrick Giddey) talk about it all the time and I think they can give us something."

McDonald was forced to alter the starting line-up in his coaching debut, the axing of Eric Devendorf pushed Daryl Corletto into the starting five, and when Luke Nevill quit the team, it was Matt Burston who was promoted into the starting group.

But McDonald had come close to also adding Walker into the first-five, before opting to stick with Tommy Greer, not so much as a knock on Greer, but as a compliment to the explosiveness that Walker brings to the table.

As impressive as the Tigers played last Sunday, winning 93-72 under the leadership of McDonald for the first time, and as extraordinary and inspiring as Lewis and Walker performed, it was only just one game.

This week the task and the challenge is far greater, the Tigers flying across the ocean for a Friday night showdown with the league-leading New Zealand Breakers. A far cry from the Hawks, who the Tigers crushed on their way to their ninth consecutive loss.

The pressure is now on Lewis and Walker to again ignite the Tigers with their athleticism and vigour against a much more dangerous opponent.

And dare I suggest, keep the Tigers playoff aspirations alive.