SWAN Hill Flyers' men's side secured their first win in almost two years after defeating Echuca Pirates 71-58 on Saturday night.

With the home crowd behind them, the Flyers got off to a strong start with eight unanswered points before taking a 21-13 lead into quarter-time.

Swan Hill threatened to run away with the game during the second period, leading by 13 points with less than two minutes remaining in the term.

But a late lapse in their game allowed the Pirates to bridge the gap to 36-34 at the half-time break.

The Flyers fired in the third term and restored their 13-point buffer at the last change, which remained at the final buzzer.

Swan Hill coach Sharon Denham said it was reward for not only her players' efforts, but the fans who have stuck by the team.

"It's exciting for everyone," Denham said.

"The players have been working hard every game and have been close to winning a few games now before falling away.

"In this instance, it was us leading and it was great to see our team remained calm despite Echuca kept challenging early.

"The players are pretty pleased with the win and it's nice to see them pull through this time.

"It's good for our supporters, too, because they know the level of basketball our boys are playing in and they appreciated the win."

It had been 714 days since their last victory in the Country Basketball League's north-west conference, where they defeated Kyneton Tigers by two points.

Denham said an all-round performance from the players contributed to their victory against the seventh-placed Pirates.

"We're just starting to understand what our strengths and roles are as a group," she said.

"We've had a couple of big plays from individuals in the past, but now we're seeing more players stepping up and playing their role.

Denham said Jacob Seears set the example for his teammates on the court with 18 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists.

"The guys really look up to him and he was excellent in directing the side on the court throughout the game," she said.

"Matt Gardner lit it up from the three-point line, while Henry Thompson has had to step up in the point guard role, taking it in his stride and playing valuable minutes."

The Flyers had to follow up the performance less than 24 hours later in their away trip to play Bendigo Braves last Sunday.

Swan Hill were no match for the top side, losing 105-60, but Denham said it was a valuable experience.

"They've got more players, are a well-experience team and well-drilled, so they were always going to be hard to beat," she said.

"They do attack the basket well, but we've got to learn against the best and learn not to be overawed by it."

The Flyers face another difficult task, travelling to play the second-placed Maryborough Blazers this Sunday.

Denham said every game in the league is tough, but her side will be taking it game-by-game.

"The group of guys that we've got are good people on and off the court, and they've got that passion for the game and just want to do well," she said.

We'll be continuing to focus on improving our defence, but with such a young and enthusiastic group, I'm sure they'll continue to improve."