As the New Zealand Breakers welcomed back their star import Zylan Cheatham amid a third straight NBL win, the Brisbane Bullets know they need their own American luminary Casey Prather to come to the party after a fourth consecutive loss.
Wednesday night's NBL program offered a chance for either the Bullets or Breakers to put themselves on the brink of breaking into a play-in position.
The Breakers welcomed back Cheatham from a fractured leg and he flourished late in the game, scoring eight quick points amid their game-deciding 12-0 run, with New Zealand ending up 81-71 winners to improve to 7-9.
That has them hot on the heels of the sixth-placed Cairns Taipans (8-10) with Cheatham a welcome addition in his first game since October 26.
It was his first game alongside fellow former NBA forward Anthony Lamb and their combination looked ominous with Lamb having 18 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
It's the opposite story at the Bullets who have now lost four straight to slip to 7-11 and could again be without import point guard Shannon Scott with a third hamstring injury of 2023.
But the Bullets will unveil new signing Prather on Saturday when they host the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
Having won two championships previously with the Perth Wildcats and one at Melbourne United, Prather could be just what the Bullets need.
But rookie power forward Josh Bannan knows the Bullets need to look within first.
"I think there's been some times where, as a group, we don't have a great recognition of the importance of every moment, and those moments in time of games," Bannan said.
"Right now we've fallen to a spot where we're 7-11 with 10 games to go and we're starting to have to fight a real uphill battle.
"That's the thing about understanding the importance of every minute in every game because we need to be a playoff team. That has to happen - so it has to happen soon."
Bannan will share the power forward spot with Prather moving forward with the pair to also be on the floor at times together.
"I'm definitely excited for some healthy competition at my spot," Bannan said.
"We need someone else who can play that spot and also I remember training with Melbourne United as a young guy, and being around him and seeing what he's capable of.
"If we can add that to our team that's a huge boost this time of year. The numbers show offensively he has been a force in this league and that's probably an area we need a bit of a boost in now.
"Add that in and for us to make a push towards the play-offs, that's super exciting. I think he's going to be huge in this 10-game stretch pushing towards play-offs."
