The injury-plagued Illawarra Hawks have erased a double-digit deficit to upset NBL titleholders Perth 96-84 in Wollongong.
Missing three key players, the Hawks were in trouble when they fell behind by 16 late in the first quarter on Saturday night.
But American imports Rotnei Clarke (21 points) and Demitrius Conger (21) spearheaded a stirring fightback to snap Illawarra's four-game losing slide.
Perth forward JP Tokoto tallied a game-high 27 and Bryce Cotton finished with 23.
The Cats remained on top of the table with a 10-5 record but they head into Christmas on a rare two-game losing skid and will be looking forward to captain Damien Martin's return from injury early in the new year.
The Hawks boosted their record to 6-9.
Illawarra sleepwalked through most of the first period, falling behind by 16 before finally showing some fight to trail 30-18 at quarter-time.
It was a totally different Hawks in the second period, with Clarke scoring on deep three-point bombs and twisting lay-ups to give his team a 40-38 lead.
The lead changed hands 11 times during the final minutes of the quarter but it was the Hawks ahead 50-49 at halftime.
Clarke stayed hot and boosted his tally to 21, while Conger had 10 in the third period to help Illawarra to a 71-66 lead at three-quarter time.
The Cats had no answers in the final period and will be wondering how they lost after such a strong start to the game.
The Hawks host Cairns on Thursday and Brisbane on Sunday in round 12, while the Wildcats have a New Year's Eve away meeting with Cairns.
