With six minutes to go in the final quarter of the Orange Eagles' Spalding Waratah League Division 1 Men's clash with Bankstown, the Eagles were in a familiar position - five points up with a side charging head-on at their lead.
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However, unlike twice in the past month where the young Eagles were overrun and surrendered their lead, this side not only fought back and resisted but slammed on another 15 points of their own, to claim a 91-70 win over the Bruins on Saturday night at Sir Neville Howse Stadium.
It was just the side's second win for the season from eight starts, and marked their first on home court for some three decades - with skipper Mitch Selwood put succinctly as an "overdue" win for the side.
Selwood - who hit 21 points on the night, topped only by Kobe Mansell's 27 for the Eagles - said he was proud of the side for holding off the experienced Bruins side.
The belief was always there.
- Orange Eagles captain Mitch Selwood
"It was good to get the win, I think we played really well," he said.
"Our record might not be as good but I don't think it's a reflection of how we've been going so far this year.
"I think if a few games had gone the other way and we'd done a few things a bit differently we'd be right up in contention for a top four spot."
He also lauded Mansell's game, saying his good games were coming "nearly every week", making it easy to overlook how well he was going.
Selwood said the side was "starting to come together" in a way it simply couldn't with such a limited preseason.
"We're starting to understand each other a lot better and that passing is coming off and the little things are all working," he said.
"The belief was always there I think, we've played eight games, won two of them and two others - Lithgow and Queanbeyan - we both should have won and let slip so we know we're right up there, just need a few other things to go right."
Selwood's thoughts were echoed by coach Jamahl Zegzula, who said taking a Sydney metropolitan scalp was a "big boost".
He said his captain - again - had a stellar game on the court, while also backing Clarry Annis-Brown, Murray Robotham and Ben Gundry for their performances on Saturday, while the return of Andrew Manios, who hit 20 points in the win, was also a boon for the side in his return match.
The win put the Eagles one win behind Lithgow on the ladder and within touching distance of the middle of the field, which Zegzula and Selwood both said they can compete with.
The side play Shoalhaven Tigers this Saturday night at the same venue at 6.30pm.
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