The gap in the men’s club basketball playoff race has closed even further.
Wins to the City Rise Bombers and Andy Bay Falcons have left both knocking on the door of the top four with one week left in the second round.
The teams won just one game apiece during the opening seven weeks.
But wins over the Mid City Magic and Magic Lions respectively gave them both two wins in as many matches.
It leaves just two wins separating second place and fifth, while the Bombers trail by just one more.
The Bombers won a tight one over the Mid City Magic.
Otago Nuggets forward Akiva McBirney-Griffin (17 points), on debut for the Magic, had a late shot to tie the score.
He could not hit though and the Bombers emerged 83-80 victors.
The Bombers got plenty out of their own Nugget, Matthew Bardsley, who got to the hoop well to rack up 23 points.
He helped his team out to a 20-18 quarter-time lead, a margin it held until halftime, when the score was 39-37.
Mitch Hughan (28 points) was key in keeping the Magic in touch from deep, but his four triples were matched by Olly Smith (18 points).
The Bombers extended their lead to 61-58 by the end of the third quarter, before a free throw-laden fourth quarter.
McBirney-Griffin scored 11 of his points in the final period, but two Smith threes and the ability to get to the line proved pivotal in closing the game out.
The Falcons scored 66 first-half points, and went on to upset the Lions 103-86.
Hamish Robertson top-scored with 24 points in a balanced scoring effort for the Falcons, who led 74-50 early in the third quarter.
The Lions began to come back through duo Nathan Hanna (28 points) and Ben Robertson (32 points).
They threatened to cut the lead to single digits late in the third quarter.
But the Falcons were able to withstand the run and two three-pointers to Emerson Watson (17 points) helped restore its buffer.
The St Kilda Saints remain unbeaten, although they were pushed close in a 92-86 win over Varsity.
The Saints held a handy third-quarter lead, before key guard James Ross left the game injured and Varsity rallied.
It brought it back to a two-point game, but a handful of key plays by Jack Andrew down the stretch got the Saints through.
