Mustangs skipper Turner landed 26-points and Monroe maintained his double-double average with 21 points and 14 rebounds in the 82-78 win against Hills Hornets.

Monroe was fouled out in the final quarter, but Maitland was not going to let another close game slip and Turner and Jack Edwards made some clutch shots to get Maitland home and lift them to fourth on the Waratah Champions League table.

Young guns Daniel Millburn and Taiga Cantor also took giant strides in their development scoring 12 and 7 points respectively.

Former Mustang Goran Veg was the Hornets best against his old side scoring 28 points and collecting 13 rebounds before he too was fouled out..

The Mustangs led 44-30 at half-time and looked to be in control of the game, but a poor third term saw them trailing 57-56 at the final break.

The Mustangs are equal on points with third-placed Norths Bears and Hornsby Spiders in fifth.

The Sydney Comets have stolen a break on the competition, but the Mustangs are only two wins behind the Bankstown Bruins and can still claim a top-two finish with five rounds remaining.

The Mustangs are on the road against the Spiders on Saturday, before three home games including the Newcastle Hunters.

They have a final round away encounter against the Manly Sea Eagles.