The Perth Wildcats have reinforced their reputation as the NBL's road warriors and consolidated fifth position on the ladder with a 99-91 win over the New Zealand Breakers.
After leading by double digits in the third quarter at Auckland's Spark Arena on Sunday, the Wildcats were briefly overtaken in the fourth before stamping their defensive authority down the stretch.
Kristian Doolittle scored 21 points for Perth, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr had 20, and Dylan Windler paired 17 points with 10 rebounds.
The Wildcats hit 10-of-21 from three-point range and won the rebound battle 40-29 to move to 13-10 (4-6 at home, 9-4 away).
"The first half we had a nice rhythm, (then) I felt we relaxed just a little bit," Perth coach John Rillie said.
"The second half was just two teams competing, trying to find a win.
"We did enough to win the game."
Sam Mennenga (19 points) top-scored for the Breakers, with support from athletic reserve Carlin Davison (14 points at 100%).
The defeat saw NZ slump to 8-14 and eighth place, their finals hopes hanging by a thread.
The home side jumped ahead 12-6 behind Parker Jackson-Cartwright's pesky on-ball defence and some strong work on the offensive glass, before Perth caught alight, Windler scoring eight points without a miss to steer the Wildcats to a 28-23 quarter-time lead.
The Wildcats' advantage grew to 34-23 early in the second term, before Karim Lopez and Mennenga helped slice the margin to 48-45 at halftime.
The visitors knocked down 5-of-6 from downtown in the third, Doolittle and Windler taking advantage of some sloppy NZ perimeter defence.
Down 80-74 at three-quarter time, the Breakers started the fourth with triples from Rob Loe and Davison to square the scores, before Jackson-Cartwright's step-back jumper gave them the lead.
But that field goal would be the Breakers' last for almost seven minutes, the home side missing 10 straight shots as Perth restored order at both ends.
"It was crazy to even have a chance with how we were not able to play defence," NZ coach Petteri Koponen lamented
"We let them get comfortable.
"Offensively, we did not find enough advantages down the stretch."
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