A rousing third quarter from Perth Redbacks helped turn the tables on Perry Lakes Hawks and secure victory in a pulsating NBL1 West men’s clash at Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre on Saturday night.

The Redbacks turned an 11-point half-time deficit into a 117-108 victory thanks to the way they applied the afterburners following the major break at the packed-out stadium.

Key to that turnaround was player of the match Issac Etter, a twinkle-toed, three-point wizard whose knack for long-distance baskets had the Hawks shell-shocked as he let rip in the last two stanzas.

He opened the third quarter with four baskets, all sent from downtown, and which helped the Redbacks claim 13 of the first 15 points to draw level with their stunned opponents.

From 66 apiece, and urged on by the crowd, the Redbacks went on to lead 89-85 going into the final term, outscoring the Hawks 34-19 in that rollicking 10-minute spell.

What made Etter’s shift even more special was that the Hawks had been three-point specialists all season, with Redbacks’ coach Luke Sunderland saying stopping that flow of maximums was his side’s top task.

“They were the second-most prolific team so chasing them off that three-point line was our main focus,” he said.

“I’m really pleased with the way we fought back, and I’m delighted with the win.”

Etter contributed 30 points and four rebounds and was ably assisted by Sean Conway’s 31 points and nine rebounds.

In the match Etter hit four triples while the hard-working teammate Nicholas Floyd contributed 22 points and six rebounds.

While Etter provided the dancing feet, Conway was a driving force, as was Luke Phillips (16 points, five rebounds and four assists), with the pair happy to power under the basket, denying the Hawks time to breathe.

The match was the second time the teams had met in Albany after setting pulses racing last year with a super double-header showdown.

There was no giant grandstand this time, but the crowd packed in for an evening of sensory overload, music blaring, the emcee augmenting his non-stop patter with wallops on an electronic drum kit.

The men had their work cut out after a fabulous women’s match went Hawks’ way by a single point, but they contributed a high-octane clash which sent the paying public home happy.

The Hawks had the better of the early exchanges and led 42-29 after the first quarter, doing what the Redbacks’ coach had predicted – nailing three-pointers.

They were moving the ball fluently in the second quarter too, Isaiah Moses providing the service for Cameron Huefner to convert and, with the Redbacks missing opportunities under the basket, were still 66-55 to the good at half-time.

However, the force unleashed after the break by Etter and his crew left them shell shocked and although they recovered to make an even fist of that third stanza, the Redbacks led 89-85 by its close.

The Hawks had a final quarter fling as the contest ebbed and flowed – and led 98-93 after a Moses long range special – but a Conway steal and conversion, an Etter dribble and basket and a Conway three-pointer brought the Redbacks to 100-98 and a lead they were finally able to hold onto.

Huefner, with 33 points and 15 rebounds, and Jack Browder, with seven assists, were the Hawks’ main contributors.