The Otago Nuggets did get one last shot at glory. But with that amount of time left in the game, it had to be hurried.
Michael Harris let the attempt fly, but it dipped well short.
It would have been some finish and some win for the defending champions, who had a late setback before the game.
Star point guard JaQuori McLaughlin injured his knee and was forced to sit out the game.
That put the heat firmly on the likes of Todd Withers and Michael Harris, and they responded with 25 and 31 points, respectively.
Withers nailed four three-pointers in the final quarter to drag the home team back into the contest.
And when he stole the ball and slammed down a dunk to level the scores with 90 seconds remaining, the momentum appeared to have shifted to the home side.
Robbie Coman grabbed an offensive board and made the lay-up to put the Nuggets in front 94-93 with 13 second left.
Enter Lee.
Hyrum Harris lobbed in the pass and somehow Lee got the shot over the defence and in the hoop.
He top-scored for the Hawks with 24 points and nabbed 11 rebounds.
Hyrum Harris collected 14 points and 12 rebounds in a quality performance.
Sam Timmins was not too far off a rare triple-double. The Nuggets captain scored 13 points, grabbed 10 boards and made seven assists.
Earlier, in the game it was immediately obvious how much McLaughlin’s passing game would be missed.
The home side’s ball movement lacked its usual zip but some quality defence helped compensate.
Timmins muscled his way to the hoop for some early points, but it was Michael Harris who did the bulk of the early scoring.
He poured in nine points in the opening period to give his side a 21-19 lead at the break.
The Australian shooting guard hogged the spotlight in the next period as well.
Rebounds fell nicely for him, he made a couple of nice assists and, most importantly, banged in another nine points.
The Hawks stayed in touch, though. Hyrum Harris forced his way to the hoop for a late bucket.
Jordan Hunt had drilled an important three-pointer to help cut the gap as well.
Up four at halftime, Withers limped back on court and landed an early three.
Michael Harris got in the passing lane and picked off an intercept.
Coman converted that turnover with a triple.
But the Hawks strung together a few stops.
Lee bowled over Withers on his way to the rim for a couple.
Derone Raukawa hit a mid-range jumper.
Hyrum Harris got a lay-up and steal and it was all even briefly.
Darcy Knox hit back-to-back threes to establish a small buffer for the Nuggets again.
But Raukawa snatched back the lead with a couple of free throws at the end of the third.
The Hawks upped the tempo and rapidly opened up their one-point lead to nine.
Timmins slogged his way through the paint for another basket and Withers hit triple after triple to set up a photo finish.
The scores
Hawke’s Bay Hawks 95
Ira Lee 24, Derone Raukawa 16
Otago Nuggets 94
Michael Harris 31, Todd Withers 25
Quarter scores: 19-21, 41-45, 63-62.
