The Mid City Magic Lions rallied late to overcome a double-digit deficit and beat the City Rise Bombers on Saturday.
After trailing by 15 at one point, the Lions held the Bombers to 10 fourth-quarter points, while piling on 27 themselves to win 85-76.
It enabled them to claim their second win of the Dunedin club season, the first
coming against the same opponent.
Typically slow starters, the Lions trailed early as the Bombers shot out to an early lead.
Olly Smith hit three first-quarter three-pointers to take his side out to 24-16.
It kept up that dominance through the second, extending its lead to 46-33 and seemed to have the game under control.
However, the Lions came out strong after halftime and cut the deficit by five, before they took over the game with eight minutes to go.
Isaac Smiler was key in that period, scoring 12 points, including 10 in a row and two three-pointers.
Micah Lepaio also came up with two big three-pointers, as the Lions pulled away and the Bombers could not halt the momentum.
Lepaio finished with a game high 29 points, while Smiler had 23.
Smith top-scored for the Bombers with 23.
The St Kilda Saints prevailed 71-51 over Varsity in a messy game.
It was a balanced scoring effort for the Saints, four players reaching double digits.
Liam Aston led the way with 17 points, Matt Gillan had 16 and Jamie Macdonald and Harry Thorp had 12 and 11 respectively.
But it was point guard James Ross, who had seven, who pulled all the strings.
He pushed the ball well and regularly dished to his lane runners to help the Saints rack up plenty of points in transition.
The Andy Bay Falcons dropped off after a strong start against the Mid City Magic.
The Falcons started well and led midway through the second quarter, before letting slip just before halftime.
The Magic eventually ran out the winner 89-67, Benoit Hayman leading the team in scoring with 19 points.
It meant the Magic remains unbeaten before its top-of the-table clash against the St Kilda Saints next week.
The Falcons remain in third, while the Lions, Bombers and Varsity are all tied on two wins in fourth.
