Kevin Lisch produced a clutch performance for the ages as Wollongong completed an NBL season sweep of slumping defending champions NZ Breakers, with an epic double overtime 103-96 win in Auckland on Sunday.
Wollongong (14-8), came from 11 points down with under six minutes to go to force overtime with a 13-2 run.
The Nailbiting Basketball League, as perhaps it should be renamed after so many close games this season, produced another thriller, but Lisch showed one individual can take over a team sport.
The American guard scored the Hawks first 15 points through the two overtime periods and finished with his NBL career best of 40, equalling the highest individual score of the season by Perth's Jermaine Beal.
"He's a warrior," Hawks coach Rob Beveridge said of Lisch.
Wollongong, who moved into second, above Perth on percentage, prevailed despite having Kirk Penney sidelined for the latter stages of the game with a severe case of cramp.
The Hawks' Cody Ellis scored 18, including a three-pointer with two seconds of regulation time to go to force the game into overtime.
It was a fourth straight defeat for the Breakers, who lost 87-69 to the Hawks in Wollongong on Thursday and have slipped below Adelaide (11-9) who won 108-103 at Townsville (7-15) on Saturday.
Melbourne (16-7) consolidated top spot with back-to-back wins over Cairns (9-13).
They won 83-65 away and 98-68 at home, despite Boomers veteran Mark Worthington scoring a match-high 22 for Cairns in his 300th NBL game in the first match.
United coach Dean Demopoulos stressed his side still had plenty to do on the team defence front despite holding Cairns to under 70 in both games.
"We're starting to get a little bit better at it for longer periods of time, longer stretches," said Demopoulos, whose side hit as many three-pointers - 14 - as they did two-pointers in the first win.
"There's still plenty of breakdowns. We've got a lot of improvement in my eyes, and their eyes.
"They are not satisfied, they are hungry."
Lisch apart, several other players around the league enjoyed personal scoring highs.
Perth (14-8)forward Casey Prather compiled 27 in the 95-68 home thrashing of Sydney(5-17).
The Kings' star import Josh Childress managed just seven points in his first game back in Perth since he was suspended for striking the Wildcats' Jesse Wagstaff last season."
"He (Childress) wasn't as aggressive, to avoid inflaming the situation," Kings interim head coach Joe Connelly said.
Electrifying Adelaide point guard Jerome Randle racked up an NBL personal high 34 points as the 36ers regained control against Townsville after leaking 64 points in the first half.
Crocs imports Jordair Jett and Omar Samhan scored 29 and 21 respectively, their best NBL tallies so far.
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