The Melbourne Tigers' late charge towards the finals continued on Wednesday night with a comfortable 100-86 victory over the top-of-the-table Perth Wildcats at the State Netball Hockey Centre.
It was Melbourne's fifth straight win and has it firmly in contention for a playoffs berth with just six matches left in the season.
Julius Hodge was once again sensational with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Mark Worthington (23 and six) and Chris Anstey (13 points) were again prominent.
Kevin Lisch top-scored for the visitors with 18 points, while American Galen Young and Stephen Weigh added 16 and 12 respectively.
The Wildcats were the own worst enemy, committing 17 turnovers and sending the Tigers to the freethrow line 22 times, of which they converted 19.
Leading by eight points going into the final quarter, any hopes of a Perth comeback were immediately extinguished with Tom Greer and then Worthington both nailing huge three-pointers to push the lead out to 17 points.
More long-range success from Sam Mackinnon and some clutch shots from Hodge enabled the Tigers to keep their lead in double figures for the majority of the final stanza.
It was party time for the hosts in the final minutes as rookie Bennie Lewis got in on the act with a huge three-pointer to extend the lead out to 20 points and get the Tigers to 100 points for the first time this season.
Melbourne exploded out of the blocks to race out to a 10-2 lead inside three minutes before Perth coach Rob Beveridge was forced into an early timeout.
The break did little to stop the Tigers though, as they poured in another five unanswered points to push the lead out to 13 points before Young finally stopped the run with a much-needed basket.
The Wildcats gradually reduced the deficit but their poor discipline didn't help, with the home side going to the freethrow line an amazing 12 times in the first quarter.
Young was playing a lone hand for the visitors, keeping his side in the hunt with nine first-quarter points, but the early damage had been done as the Tigers led by seven at the first change (28-21).
Perth mounted a challenge at the start of the second quarter to draw within four points, but a pair of Corletto threes pushed the lead back out to 12.
Schenscher looked certain to reduce the deficit with an easy lay-up but a superb Mackinnon block led to a Corletto basket as the Tigers maintained their lead.
Sensing the game was getting away from them, Martin and Redhage both stepped up to nail crucial three-pointers in the dying stages of the half.
But the Tigers would go into the break with all the momentum after Hodge tipped in after first missing a lay-up to get the crowd on their feet and hand his side a six-point buffer (50-44).
It was a fiery opening to the second half when Anstey sucked Redhage into a needless foul off the ball.
Another foul from Redhage, his fourth, saw him benched with over six minutes left in the third quarter and when Anstey and Worthington both nailed huge three-pointers the Tigers were back out by 12.
A Young three got the margin back to single figures but the hosts again surged clear only for the Wildcats to finish the quarter better with a Cattalini long-bomb reducing the deficit to eight at the final change (72-64).
Melbourne (10-12) moves level with Adelaide in fifth place on 10 wins, although it has played one less game, while the Wildcats (14-9) still lead the competition. The two sides meet again in Perth on Saturday night.
Melbourne Tigers 100 (Hodge 25, Worthington 23, Anstey 13)
Perth Wildcats 86 (Lisch 18, Young 16, Weigh 12)
@ The Cage, 20/01/2010. Crowd: 2943
