The semifinal spots were confirmed at the Edgar Centre on Saturday as the regular season wound down on the senior men's competition.
Otago Boys' High School (12-3) was assured of top spot and without Luke Aston for a clash with a stacked Magic (9-6) team eyeing the playoffs.
Desire and hustle trumped the standings, with the Magic prevailing 89-86 to book a spot in the post-season.
Ricki Buckrell put up 33 points for the Magic, and Adam Wheeler added 19 while directing traffic and finding seams in the OBHS defence.
Ollie Smith's 18 points included two crucial daggers from long range deep in the fourth quarter and a sharp hustle play that ensured OBHS was left with an ill-fated half-court prayer to force overtime as time expired. Sam King had 34 points for OBHS and Tom Rowe tallied 23 while dominating for long periods in a losing effort.
But he also received a technical foul late in the final quarter which handed the Magic possession, free throws and crucial momentum.
The Saints (8-7), led by the outstanding James Ross, routed the Comets (2-13) 107-54 to storm into the knock-out stages on a six-game winning streak.
Ross finished with 17 points and at times looked like he was running a lay-up line with Cain Falconer and Damon Cleverley, who scored 29 and 14 points respectively. Lewis Barclay added 21 points for the Saints.
The Comets received many beatings this season but never quit, and are perhaps a big man or two and a reliable outside shooter away from threatening teams on a regular basis.
A buoyant and cohesive Falcons unit booked a deserved spot in the final four at the expense of the Bombers, whose late-season slide continued in the 69-63 defeat.
The loss represents the Bombers' sixth in their past seven outings. Again they dominated the offensive boards but struggled to convert that advantage into points.
Their tight defence and clinical inside game has meant they have scarcely been blown out this season, yet their lack of outside shooting has haunted them in more than a few fourth quarters.
