The Appliance Shed Harbour Heat will finish Easter weekend in fourth place on the NZ Community Trust NBL ladder, tied with 3 other teams with a 4 and 2 record.

The Heats good start to the season stumbled slightly on Friday when beaten 91 - 86 by the Christchurch Cougars but in the process showed plenty of character and no shortage of basketball ability in pushing the league's big spenders so close just 24 hours after winning on their home court over the Taranaki Dynamos.

The game was close throughout with never more than a handful of points separating the two sides playing for top spot in the NBL. Indeed scores were level at quarter and three quarter breaks as neither side was able to assert any dominance over the other.

It was only in the final quarter that the home side was able to contain the Heat, with the visitors only able to notch 16 points in the ten minutes to the final hooter. That task was helped with the early departure of Heat import Mychal Green with five personal fouls. Corey Webster led the scoring for the visitors with 30 points and added 7 rebounds and 7 assists on the night. Import Chaz Spicer played every moment of the game, contributing a season best double double of 23 points and 12 rebounds.

The Heat's lack of a big played a part in this though with Cougars centre Tim Behrendorff leading the home side with 27 points in a strong offensive showing from the NZ Breakers player.

The loss leaves the young Heat side at 4 and 2 on the season so far but the performance will have pleased Coach Tony Webster, especially coming on the back of a home win and travel to Christchurch on the morning of the game.

The season doesn't get any easier for the Heat in what is shaping as one of the most competitive NBL's in some years with a visit to Waikato this Thursday to play the Pistons before returning home to the North Shore Events Centre on April 24 and the visit of the Nelson Giants.

For Christchurch Cougars v Appliance Shed Harbour Heat box score, click here