After three thrashings of the New Zealand Breakers, the Illawarra Hawks have needed double overtime to complete a notable NBL clean sweep in Wellington.
The Hawks beat the desperate defending champions 103-96 on Sunday to make it four wins from four in their series, including Thursday's 87-69 win in Wollongong.
It was also the fourth successive loss for the Breakers (11-10), whose play-off hopes are looking fragile. They drop out of the top four, passed by Adelaide on percentages.
The Hawks (14-8) notched a third straight win to move level with second-placed Perth.
Kirk Penney has haunted the Breakers in their previous meetings but with the New Zealand great sitting out the latter part of the game with a hamstring niggle, it was left to Kevin Lisch to dominate the visitors' scoring.
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The sharp-shooting guard took control of both overtime periods to finish with 40 points, equalling the NBL season-high game record held by Perth's Jermaine Beal.
Forward Cody Ellis scored 18, including a vital three-pointer with two seconds remaining in regular time to level the scores 80-80.
Guard Corey Webster's 22 points was their best although he will regret missed shots in the last play of regular time and the first overtime, the latter finishing at 89-89.
Cedric Jackson scored 18 while Tom Abercrombie and Alex Pledger both netted 12.
The Breakers' rebounding was vastly improved from three days earlier but they paid for 21 turnovers and some more sloppy free throw shooting.
Having led by 11 points midway through the final quarter of regular time, the Breakers will need to find a way to lift their morale ahead of a double-header in North Queensland next week, against the Crocodiles and Taipans.
The Hawks take on the equal second-placed Wildcats in Perth on Thursday night.
