The final few minutes were tough to swallow, but Wagga Heat coach Matt Bishop has praised his team's endeavour against sides with far more to play for after an 89-73 road loss to Illawarra on Saturday.
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The Heat were up by six points at three quarter time and level at 73-all with less than four minutes left, but conceded the last 16 points after being on the wrong end of a 9-0 foul cont in the last term.
Sean Mullan (35 points) proved the match-winner in a game the Hawks needed to win to solidify a top three spot before next week's final round.
Despite failing to finish off the game and beat the Hawks for a second time this year, Bishop is happy with his team's commitment to ending the season strongly, despite being well out of finals contention.
"While the result was disappointing, that's two games straight (after losing to Shoalhaven by four last week) where we've stuck with top five sides, and really three or four minutes of basketball has cost us," he said.
"If we're playing like that early in the season and you win a couple, you get that feeling of winning behind you and some confidence.
"Mullan had 35 but I feel we did a good job defensively, he just made shots, and no one else got off on us.
"To push them at home when they're in a must-win situation is pleasing."
Bishop said they lost some direction when point guard Chaz Bishop (ten points), who flirted with a triple-double, was fouled out midway through the last quarter.
"He got two fouls late, then we lost our way a bit and struggled to execute," Bishop said.
"I don't think he missed a shot but he was getting us into our sets which was getting guys good looks. Once our primary ball handler is being unselfish, everyone else buys into it so we moved and shared the ball around as well."
Import Matt Brunell (21) top scored for the Heat, who had five players finish in double figures.
The Heat will play their final game of the year at home against last-placed Dubbo Rams at Bolton Park Sports Stadium this Saturday at 6pm.
Meanwhile, Wagga Blaze's final regular season game at home before finals against Goulburn has been rescheduled to Sunday, August 4.
ILLAWARRA HAWKS 89 (S Mullan 35, J Sorenson 13, S Hunter 12) def WAGGA HEAT 73 (M Brunell 21, Z Maloney 15, D Tye 13) at Illawarra on Saturday.
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