The cellar dwellers of the league came to play against the Dragons, matching it with the home side for three quarters before South edged clear in the final term.

Heal proved the difference for the Dragons, nailing seven attempts from behind the arc and recording a game-high 30 points to secure the win.

It was neck and neck in the opening term as both teams struggled to find the net. Kavossy Franklin poured in eight points for the Dragons and Jacob Holmes and Rosell Ellis worked hard under the rim but inaccuracy from the field proved costly.

South’s defence held up well against a tall Razorbacks line-up but a field goal percentage of just 28 hindered the home side's impact on the scoreboard in the opening half.

The Razorbacks also languished from the field, with Scott McGregor’s six points his team’s best effort for the quarter.

But West Sydney lifted in the second term, outscoring the Dragons 25-16 and dominating the boards to take a nine-point advantage into the main break.

Three points to Shane Heal opened the third term for the Dragons and sparked a spirited fightback by the home side. After a slow start it was game on at Dandenong Stadium, with the sell-out crowd on its feet as the Dragons clawed their way back into the game.

Successive threes to Matt Shanahan gave South the lead with just over five minutes remaining on the clock. Jacob Holmes found plenty of the ball with five boards for the quarter but it was Heal who stole the show, adding 16 points to the stats sheet in a scorching third-term display.

Three points to Heal on the buzzer afforded the Dragons a three-point advantage heading into the final term.

Kavossy Franklin netted the Dragons’ first goal in the final stanza and continued to dominate in offence for the remainder of the night. Ellis and Holmes were powerful under the rim at both ends of the court and held their nerve to score points at crucial stages of the quarter.

Sharp shooting and a determined outlook saw the Dragons out to a 12-point lead midway through the term but the Razorbacks reigned in the margin to just two points with one minute left on the clock.

Franklin, Holmes and Ellis saw the Dragons over the line, with late baskets shoring up a six-point victory.

Heal said the win was an important boost for his team in the run to the playoffs.

"We came back in the second half with a lot more intensity," he said.

"We've got good shooters. I think that our execution in offence was pretty good overall, (our shots at goal) just started to fall down and we got to the hoop a little bit more, we got to the free throw line and did a better job.

"It's a matter of confidence and staying with it."

South Dragons 90 (Heal 30, Franklin 24, Ellis 17)
West Sydney Razorbacks 84 (Harvey 18, Bailey 17, Dann 17)
Crowd: 2100 @ Dandenong Stadium, 20/01/07