A combined 50 points for Casey Prather and Keandre Cook handed the Brisbane Bullets a hard-fought 93-87 win over the NZ Breakers in Christchurch.
The Breakers had an early 10-0 run but once Brisbane hit the lead later in the first quarter, they never surrendered it again even though the home side got within two late to give them a scare.
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The NZ side started well to be up 12-2, but it should have been more had Tacko Fall made his foul shots.
Brisbane then went on a 16-5 run to grab the lead and hold that for the rest of the half to be leading at the break 46-40 with Prather and Cook going 8/17 from three-point range for 32 points between them.
The Breakers were left to rue 12/20 free-throw shooting but were still in touch until it was the opening stages of the fourth quarter where the Bullets pulled away for a first double-digit lead.
The home team lost Parker Jackson-Cartwright (19 points, nine assists) to an apparent rib injury, but they still got back within two thanks to Matt Mooney (24 points, four assists) before the Bullets held on for the important win.
Josh Bannan came up with crucial late plays on his way to 17 points and seven rebounds while Cook ended up with 26 points and six assists, and Prather 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Tohi Smith-Milner fought hard down low for 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Breakers are now 9-17 with just three games to go but going just 19/30 at the foul line will be something they are left to contemplate.
Fall only took one more free-throw after quarter-time and made it to finish with 2/7 for his 12 points and five rebounds with New Zealand nine plus in his 22:39 of court time.
After Parker Jackson-Cartwright had seven assists in the first half, he was more aggressive looking to score in the third term and helped the Breakers back within three by three quarter-time.
The Bullets then started the final term with the first six points starting with a triple from Mitch Norton and soon after they were able to get their first double-figure lead of the ball game before ending up securing the six-point win to keep their season alive.
The Breakers have to back up to play on Sunday afternoon on the road to Adelaide 36ers.
Brisbane Bullets 93 (Kaendre Cook 26, Casey Prather 24, Josh Bannan 17)
NZ Breakers 87 (Matt Mooney 24, Parker Jackson-Cartwright 19, Tacko Fall 12)