The Townsville Crocodiles put one foot in the NBL playoffs with an 80-66 win over the Gold Coast Blaze in Brisbane on Sunday.

The Crocs intense first-half defence and the brilliant shooting of guard Peter Crawford ended the Blaze’s five-game winning streak.

Crawford scored 22 points on 8-of-11 from the field, delivering repeated daggers into the charging Blaze.

Eddie Gill (18 points), Jacob Holmes (11 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) and Elvin Mims (14 points, 10 rebounds) provided strong support, while import Adris Deleon played a lone hand for Gold Coast with 22 points.

Jacob Holmes was on fire early, nailing 10 points in the first five minutes as Townsville raced to an eight-point advantage.

When guards Eddie Gill and Michael Cedar buried back-to-back triples the Crocs led 23-6, the Blaze ending with just three field goals for the entire quarter.

The Cedar brothers linked up for a transition three-pointer to open the second term before Holmes fed Elvin Mims for a spectacular alley-oop as the visitors threatened a blow-out.

Gold Coast then toughened defensively, holding the Crocs to just four points in over five minutes, only six late points to Peter Crawford keeping the Crocs 11 ahead at half-time.

A Worthington three-point play to open the second half reduced the margin to single figures, but Crawford responded with a deep buzzer-beating triple.

The game became a shootout but whenever the Blaze threatened Crawford had the answers often off Luke Schenscher feeds – nailing 11 points for the term.

Crawford picked up his fourth foul late in the quarter and Adris Deleon made his charge, scoring three straight baskets as Gold Coast closed to within nine.

But just when Townsville looked under threat Mims threw down an amazing tip-jam to finish the term and scored the opening bucket of the final quarter to restore a 15-point advantage.

When the Blaze pulled within 11 once again Crawford scored five-straight points to seal the game and finish a superb night.