The New Zealand Breakers have kept their faint NBL finals aspirations alive, while putting an end to Illawarra's hopes with a 106-95 win over the Hawks.
The Breakers saw their 16-point third-quarter lead slashed to just two early in the fourth at Auckland's Spark Arena on Saturday, before the Hawks' rearguard ran out of puff in the final term.
Imports Izaiah Brockington (27 points) and Parker Jackson-Cartwright (23) led the way for seventh-ranked NZ (12-19), who still need a lot to go right to tip the Tasmania JackJumpers (14-17) out of sixth spot.
"Really proud of the group," Breakers coach Petteri Koponen said after his undermanned side - minus injured quartet Sam Mennenga, Rob Baker, Karim Lopez and Izaya Le'Afa - stayed alive.
"We've been talking about the next-man-up mentality.
"Really excellent job from everybody."
Meanwhile, the title defence of eighth-ranked Illawarra (11-19) is done.
Tyler Harvey and Todd Blanchfield scored 19 each for the Hawks, JaVale McGee posted 15 points and seven rebounds - while only playing the first half - and Will Hickey racked up 14 points, 10 boards and nine assists.
The Breakers rode their full-court press and Brockington's 12 first-quarter points to a 33-25 lead at the first break.
The Hawks continued to bleed defensively in the second term, which ended on a Rob Loe three that extended the Breakers' advantage to 61-50 at halftime.
McGee put on a one-man show for the visitors in the opening half, but the big seven-footer played no further part in the contest as Illawarra coach Justin Tatum opted to steady the ship with a small-ball line-up.
After the margin blew out to 78-62, the ploy looked to have paid off as Harvey and Hickey masterminded an 18-6 close to the third stanza, to trim the gap to 84-80.
Hawks import QJ Peterson cut the Breakers' lead to 84-82 early in the fourth, before he fouled out with just five points. He didn't take it well.
Peterson ripped himself away from McGee's attempted high-five and stormed angrily through an exit door, narrowly avoiding a stadium staff member in the process and ending up with his left eyebrow bleeding after the door flung back at him.
The Hawks became plagued by turnovers down the stretch while also having no answers for a series of clutch plays from Jackson-Cartwright and Brockington.
"It wasn't what I expected," Tatum said.
"I thought we should have played with more of a sense of urgency."
