The hosts at the Tigers Den jumped out to a seven-point lead midway through the first term before a Jimmy Kien basket right on quarter-time levelled the scores at 22-all after one term.

The second period saw the two foes trade baskets and the lead for the majority of the term, before the Bruins went into the main break up 48-45.

An Alex Brown basket with 6.14 to go in the third saw the Tigers regain the lead (56-55), before the Bruins closed the term on a 14-8 run, to go into three-quarter-time up 69-64.

But that deficit was erased within three minutes, when another Brown two-point basket tied the scores up 73-all.

Following this, the Bruins would again stretch their advantage out to five points, before the black and golds again fought back.

With 2.24 left on the clock, the scores were locked at 81-all, following a free throw from Brown.

But poor execution by the Tigers and clutch shots from Bruins' Fletcher Mullen, who finished with 17 points, sealed the visitors 92-81 win.

Bruins' Svetomir Gavrilovic scored a game high 25 points in the win, while William Ozolins (22) and Brown (21) were the hosts best.

"In all three of our losses this season, we have been our own worst enemy, by not playing the way I know we are capable of for the full 40 minutes," coach Ian Ozolins said.

"Down the stretch, Bankstown (who hit 16 three-pointers) couldn't miss, which wasn't helped by our disappointing at times perimeter defence.

"Then on the other side of the ledger, we went too one-out on offence and didn't play team first basketball - we forced shots instead of finding the open man.

"As disappointing as the loss is, it's in the rear vision mirror now and we will learn from it."

The 9-3 Tigers, who now sit in second one game behind Sutherland, will look to return to the winner's circle this Saturday when they host Canberra from 6pm at the Den.

"Despite the loss, we are still upbeat and will prepare for a very different pace of game against the young Canberra side," Ozolin said.

"Unlike the veteran Bruins outfit, Canberra will want to get up and down the floor, so we have to be ready for that on Saturday."