The Tamworth Thunderbolts mustered a stunning final quarter fightback on Saturday night to exact revenge on the Sutherland Sharks and march into a fourth straight State League semi-final.
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Trailing the Sharks, who had beaten them in the corresponding game last season, by 10 points heading into the final quarter of their quarter final, the Thunderbolts found themselves staring at a 16 point deficit three minutes in.
But momentum can be a funny thing, and urged on by the rallying chant of "defence" from the full house at the Tamworth Sports Dome, the Thunderbolts started picking up rebounds and turnovers and chipping away at the Sharks' lead.
They went on a 15 point run to close within a point with just under three minutes to play, each score greeted with a thunderous cheer.
Rhys Chillingworth drew them level with 1.50 to play, Quayshun Hawkins then sinking his two free throws to put them ahead.
Coach John Ireland said they had spoken at half-time about being ready to play when the moment came, and the Thunderbolts were, Scott McGann nailing two from the perimeter in the space of 40 seconds to seal the victory.
The 79-75 win earns them automatic qualification for the finals series on the Central Coast in a fortnight.
Ireland commended the way they stepped up in that final quarter, especially defensively.
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"We did a much better job of not giving them any second look opportunities and controlling the defensive glass which gave us the opportunity to run our offence," he said.
He said it was a real test of character for his side, who were missing skipper David Bourke, Brock McMahon and Josh Cohen, with the Sharks "coming out and making some big shots in the first three quarters and defensively putting us under the pump".
That said, they couldn't have asked for a better start jumping out to 11-2 lead after three minutes. But the Sharks fought back to tie the game up at the first break and led from the second quarter to those final couple of minutes.
"We struggled a bit tonight with the trap that they ran and that put us under pressure in the first three quarters to get good quality shots," Ireland said.
"We did a better job defensively getting stops and rebounds which didn't allow their trap to get established in the fourth quarter and I think that was the big difference. We just got on a run and managed to make some shots."
Chillingworth was their top contributor with 20 points, while Hawkins scored 19 and McGann and Chris Skilton 11.
Suiting up for the Sharks, former Thunderbolt Reece Craigie was meanwhile their fourth top-scorer with nine points.
Ireland paid credit to the crowd.
"They were massive," he said.
"The crowd was like having a sixth player on the court. The noise in here was just exceptional."
"Defensively they really lifted us and every possession they were riding with us."
