In-form Cheshire Phoenix climbed into the top five of the BBL Championship with an impressive 68-63 success at Bristol Flyers.

The Nix have now won four successive Championship games, including their last three away fixtures, and recorded their first victory at Bristol since the 2015/16 season.

It was the accurate long-range shooting of the visitors that proved decisive in the contest, making 44 percent of their three-point efforts compared to the Flyers' 25 per cent.

Ahead from the outset, the Nix boasted a 12-point lead heading into the final quarter.

But they had to see off a late fightback as it was a one-possession game inside the final 30 seconds, before Daniel Norl and Dii'Jon Allen-Jordan saw it out from the free-throw line.

The impressive Jalen Hayes led the scoring for the Nix with 17 points, while Allen-Jordan posted a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds, to go with two assists and three steals.

Delighted head coach Ben Thomas said: "Since we made changes to the roster in late November we've gradually started to look a lot stronger and play like more of a team.

"We've found form now and the winning mentality among this group has just got stronger and stronger as the season's gone on.

"Bristol are coached well. They are a really well-organised side and their defensive record is testament to that.

"Whoever they face at home they're usually resilient and make the opposition work hard for every point.

"I felt we matched them in that respect and that we took control early in the game and never really let them threaten us too much.

"The way we closed the game out after making such a strong start early in the game was really pleasing from a coaching point of view."