Illawarra Hawks coach Rob Beveridge is adamant his team don't fear the Perth Wildcats ahead of their likely showdown in the NBL finals.
The Wildcats secured a 4-0 season sweep over the Hawks on Thursday night with a crushing 95-72 win in front of 11,104 fans at Perth Arena.
The result lifted Perth one win clear of the third-placed Hawks, with the teams likely to meet in the semi-finals.
Beveridge admitted his team were mentally soft against the Wildcats on Thursday night, and said they gave away too many "ticky tacky" fouls.
But he brushed aside any talk of the Wildcats holding a psychological edge over the Hawks.
"Our guys got their asses kicked. They've got to analyse that themselves, and we will as coaches," Beveridge said.
"But there's no way we fear them at all. We respect every team, but we don't go, 'Oh my god, we're playing the Wildcats'.
"I know the environment here is once they get their backs up in Perth, they're very difficult to stop.
"It's like a tsunami - you see it coming, but you can't stop it.
"But there's no way we fear them at all."
Beveridge expects sharpshooter Kirk Penney to return from a hamstring injury for Thursday's home clash with Adelaide.
And although it would take a dramatic form collapse for the Hawks to miss the finals, Beveridge is keen to keep his charges on edge.
"Some people might be a little bit content that we're in the playoffs," Beveridge said.
"But we are so far off the playoffs, and the Wildcats taught us a lesson why they're a Championship team.
"I want to learn from that experience."
Star Hawks import Kevin Lisch scored just 14 points against Perth, with Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson heaping praise on Damian Martin's defensive effort.
"In my three years here, we've just played well against them," Gleeson said of his team's dominance over the Hawks.
"And Damo takes that challenge on.
"They're super loaded with talent, we know that and we respect it. But there's something there that brings out the best in us.".
The Wildcats will be back in action on Monday night when they host Cairns at Perth Arena.
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