Game-winning shots with 0.4 seconds on the clock may soon become Cheshire Phoenix sharpshooter Chez Marks' trademark.
When the Manchester Giants visited the Northgate Arena before Christmas Marks hit a winning three point shot with 0.4 left in the game and at Sport Central on Friday he dropped in a lay-up at the death to seal a shock victory for his struggling side.
It was the Newcastle Eagles' second successive home loss and put a dent in their title hopes, with the Phoenix set to welcome their biggest rivals Leicester Riders to the Northgate 48 hours later.
Matt Lloyd's Phoenix managed to remain in touch with Fab Flournoy's Eagles all night, with neither side leading by more than eight points.
Despite a 30-point game from veteran Charles Smith and a double-double 29pts and 13 rebounds from Kareem Maddox, the Eagles carried a struggling Chapman and with the injured Flournoy not swilling to risk his own fitness the Eagles were unusually short on options.
With the score tied at 92-92, Newcastle tried to hold onto the ball for the final 16 seconds. But Gabe Haskins, who had featured in fits and starts as he continues to try to recover from injury himself, made a key contribution as he poked the ball away from the ailing Chapman and Marks gathered it to race down the court and make the vital shot to avoid overtime and secure his 31st point of the game and the win for his team.
