Travelling to Lauren Jackson Sports Centre to battle the Albury Cougars, the Pirates edged out the hosts by three points in dramatic fashion.
While plenty of Echuca players got in on the points, led by Joey Mizzi (3) and Dylan Payne (3) in the first quarter, Albury had the majority share of the ball in a back-and-forth opener.
Ultimately, the Cougars managed to create some distance and take a five-point advantage into the first turn.
The second period belonged to Keoni Anderson, with the speedy guard taking control and recording 10 points for the quarter.
Isaac Jones (7) and Jai Huston (3) managed to provide helpful cameos to lift Echuca past the Cougars by half-time, with the visitors snatching a 35-31 lead at the major break.
Anderson continued on in the third term, adding five points to his tally and playing second fiddle to a rejuvenated Mizzi, with the conductor nailing eight points in the period.
Despite maintaining their attacking prowess, the Pirates were outscored 21-22 in a tight third quarter, with the Cougars cutting the deficit to three points.
The sides couldn’t be split down the stretch, as Mizzi and Isaac Jones both had six points apiece in the final frame.
The sides walked away drawn in the fourth, meaning the Pirates escaped the round with a gritty 72-69 victory to open their account.
The win was powered by the performances of Anderson (19 points), Mizzi (17) and Jones (16), with the majority of the side getting in on the action.
Echuca will stay on the road in round five, travelling to Myrtleford Indoor Sports Stadium to take on Myrtleford Saints as we cross the halfway mark on the season.
The Pirates managed to pull themselves off the canvas, moving into sixth position on the ladder, and will fancy themselves against the winless Saints.
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