The New Zealand Breakers gained a hard-fought and vital win on Thursday, overcoming the Wollongong Hawks 106-101.
With a win important to both sides as they hunt a playoff spot, the Breakers overcame a fourth-quarter hiccup which let the Hawks back in the game to secure their seventh win of the season.
It pushes them above Wollongong to sixth on the NBL ladder, a couple of wins out of the fourth and final playoff place.
The Breakers took a four-point lead after an even first quarter, despite the Hawks' bench forward Kevin Tiggs proving a handful for the home defence, and the home team extended it by another two by the halftime break as they muscled up in defence.
The teams remained close in the third quarter and, although quick points from Gary Wilkinson put the Breakers ahead by eight points early in the final quarter, some turnovers helped Rotnei Clarke lead the Hawks to an 11-point run, pushing them ahead.
The home crowd were no doubt nervous given the Breakers' habit of losing close games this season, but some vital baskets from Kerron Johnson and Wilkinson allowed the home team to get through.
Johnson top-scored for the Breakers with 21, while Thomas Abercrombie had a good night with 20 points and a team-leading six rebounds.
"We wanted to prove that we can win close games - we've lost a few of these," Johnson said.
"I think we turned it over, and our defence was a bit lax at times, but we had to keep working and running our stuff."
Tiggs topped all scorers with 24, one ahead of Clarke.
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