Matt Mooney and Max Darling combined for 11 three-pointers as the New Zealand Breakers shook off fatigue to hold out the injury-hit Perth Wildcats.
The Breakers won Saturday's NBL clash at Auckland's Spark Arena 89-85, after the visiting Wildcats lost superstar Bryce Cotton early.
The four-time MVP appeared to take a knock to his ribs in the opening 40 seconds, but remained in the game for almost another two minutes.
However, when he extended himself, the pain left him crumpled on the sideline and he was quickly rushed to the locker room, then to hospital with an expected fractured rib.
Wildcats coach John Rillie was unsure on Cotton's condition but had to quickly get his team focused on the job.
"I'm not sure, they took him to the hospital to see and we're waiting to see," he said.
"In the moment when an injury like that happens, the player's health is always at the forefront of my mind, and then you do put your attention to the group, and how to continue on.
"It did take us a minute because he is such an integral part of our team just to recalibrate, but then in the second half we competed and got after it."
Cotton's teammates battled hard in their first game in nine days, while the Breakers were back home after a near two-week, three-game NBLxNBA tour of the US, then losing their first game of the NBL season in Brisbane on Thursday.
The difference in the end was New Zealand's hot three-point shooting led by Mooney, who knocked down 7-of-10 on his way to 28 points along with five assists, four rebounds and two steals.
Even though the Breakers led by as much as 14 points early in the second quarter and again by 12 to start the fourth, the Wildcats kept on coming and got back within two before New Zealand just held on.
The Breakers shot 16-of-36 from three-point range, including Darling dropping the first four long balls of his 19-game NBL career for 15 points, four rebounds and two blocks.
Superstar guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright might have only had 13 points on 5-of-21 shooting, but still made a strong contribution with nine assists, five steals and three rebounds.
In contrast, the Wildcats only shot 7-of-25 from long range, and while they did well getting to the line 28 times, they only shot at the charity stripe at 71 per cent.
"I was really happy not only because of the win, but because of how we played and showed character," coach Petteri Koponen said.
"The effort was there and 100 per cent the guys didn't feel perfect, but they showed character and that's what good teams, and teams that want to win, do.
"How we shared the ball looking for the next option offensively too, we played together and it was a good game from us all things considered."
Without Cotton, Tai Webster top-scored for the Wildcats with 20 points to go with six rebounds and six assists, with Kristian Doolittle adding 15 points, 11 boards and four assists, and Ben Henshall 13 points and five rebounds.
