NEWI Nets’ stunning 100% winning start to EBL Division Two stretched to five matches on Saturday when they won 97-89 at Northampton Neptunes.

The table-topping Wrexham outfit will now look to make it six from six when they welcome struggling Kent Crusaders to the Plas Coch Sports Centre this Saturday (5pm).

Nets player-coach Matt Weedall said: “This was not our most fluent form, but we will have to grind out results like this if we are to gain promotion.

“The lads showed excellent commitment and character, with a special mention going to Pete Arden, who was man of the match for the second week running and is now playing the best basketball of his Nets career.

“With five wins from five starts, we have established ourselves as serious contenders in this division.”

Nets were slow out of the blocks at the Lings Forum Leisure Centre, however, and the rock-bottom Neptunes, beaten in their three previous outings, took full advantage to race into an eight-point lead.

But the visitors hit their stride in the second quarter to storm in front with superb point guard Pau Orive, the skilful and experienced DaWaun Wells, Maarten Wijdekop, Weedall and Steve Roberts doing most of the damage.

A see-saw contest then swung back the home side’s way in the third despite a tremendous effort from the tireless Arden.

But Steve Flanagan’s three-pointer pulled Nets level in the final passage before a seven-point burst from Arden, including three from downtown, settled it late on.

Orive (26), Arden (24), Wells (16) and Flanagan (12) led the scoring for Nets, who follow Saturday’s showdown with the winless Crusaders, tickets for which cost £3 for adults and £1 for children, by travelling to fellow high flyers Leeds Carnegie on Sunday.