The North Harbour basketball team has continued its recent struggles, going down 87-76 to the Christchurch Cougars on the North Shore.
The Heat played without injured Tall Black forward Dillon Boucher and they struggled against the Cougars, who kept their play-off hopes alive as they maintained their perfect record over North Harbour.
Ater starting the season with seven straight wins, North Harbour have lost seven of their last nine and sit fifth on the table, one place ahead of Christchurch.
Meanwhile at the bottom of the table Manawatu beat Otago 99-70 in Palmerston North.
