HORSHAM Hornets are only one game away from the Big V basketball league division three championship after winning a tense game one of the Big V grand final series 85-79 over McKinnon Cougars at Oakleigh Recreation Centre on Saturday night.

The Hornets faced their toughest test of the season from the fired-up Cougars who led by four at three- quarter time, enter Hornets forward Marcus Wright.

Wright hit two consecutive three- pointers to start the final quarter and followed up with an array of passes and lay-ups to lead the Hornets to victory.

Wright finished with 13 points and 16 rebounds and his performance was applauded by Hornets captain Tim Pickert after the game.

"We had a time out with about five minutes to go and Marcus told us to get him the ball and he would do the rest," Pickert said.

"It was the best basketball he has played all season and it just shows how much of a leader he is."

But Wright was not the only Hornet to lift his game, teenage guard Shaun Bruce put on a mature and decisive performance, playing a season high 34 minutes.

Bruce finished with 25 points to lead the Hornets in scoring.

Hornets coach Barry McTaggart said Bruce had been outstanding.

"Shaun can really play,' McTaggart said.

"We needed him to step up and he did."

Point guard Cam Bruce played limited minutes due to illness while Big V leading scorer Liam Norton played on a rolled ankle, scoring 18 points.

McTaggart said the Hornets had won the match with good defence.

"We really went to another level in the fourth quarter," he said.

"Everyone lifted their play and it is what got us over the line in the end."

The Hornets held a close lead in the tense final minutes but missed some free-throws which could have sealed the game.

"We had a close loss to them in round three where we missed a lot of free throws and it almost happened again tonight," McTaggart said.

"This win was huge for us.

"I said before the game that whoever wins game one will have the ascendancy for the series and now we have it.

"But we still have to do the job at home on Saturday night."

Cougars coach Bob Mann said his side would be putting everything they had into winning game two.

"We have no choice now," Mann said.

"We have to win game two and put the pressure back onto them. If we can get to game three the pressure will be on them to perform."

To - page 39.