"We had the passion to win. Tech always win so as the underdogs we left nothing on the field," NOBM skipper Bevin Pollock said amid the hoopla in their changing room and curses down the corridor in NTOB's enclave.
NOBM will play the winners from Wairarapa to progress further towards the nationals during the Easter weekend.
Having played for the club for 22 years, the 42-year-old said he had savoured two Bay club championship titles as a player and Saturday's victory was up there in terms of the emotional stakes.
"It was self-belief, looking deep and having the hunger and desire," Pollock said.
NTOB skipper George Diack won the toss and had NOBM padding up.
No3 Jack Ward scored 52 and veteran Mathew Sinclair added 53 in a partnership that eventually saw NOBM finish 166-9 in 50 overs.
Jeremy Kuru took 3-45 but Sri Lankan Indika Senarathne was outstanding with 2-13 from 10 overs, including three maidens.
Stevie Smidt was thrifty with 1-12 from six overs, including three maidens, but appeared to be underutilised.
Frankly the total had an anaemic look about it but Pollock said the attitude was to get back on the field to stifle NTOB considering his men hadn't really done a convincing job with the bat.
"We had a bit of soul searching when we went out to bowl. Tech are a good side and know how to win when their backs against the wall."
Not this time, though.
Diack's men crumbled for 129 with 15.5 overs to spare.
No3 Bronson Meehan looked promising on 36 after opener Matt Edmondson scored 19 but the former's departure triggered off a collapse as other batsmen came and went like backpackers in a hurry to sightsee.
In fact the biggest contributor to NTOB's total were NOBM, getting into the festive spirit with 39 extras, including 31 wides and five no-balls.
Sinclair showed his experience, taking 3-15 while Brendan Quinn took 3-28 but Anoop Renuka-Prajad wasn't far off Sinclair's frugality with 1-21.
Diack was lost for words.
"If we can't chase that total down then we don't deserve to go anywhere," he eventually said.
NTOB didn't give the total much thought.
"With the batting attack we have we just couldn't do anything.
"We can't blame it on anything because it's complacency, really."
He hailed NOBM for bringing more passion to the park.
"They turned up at the park and we only did half the job with the ball."
Well, maybe it will be next year for NTOB then, Diack?
"Mmm ... we've been saying that for four years now."
Pollock said NOBM were out of the overall Bay club competition but would enter the one-dayers with renewed enthusiasm and belief.
In other club matches, Bayleys Real Estate Havelock North thumped Sharpies Driving Range Taradale by 287 runs, thanks to No3 Graeme Tryon's unbeaten 208, including 14 sixes and as many fours at Anderson Park.
"Graeme's knocking on the door of CD," coach Derek Stirling said, adding it was the best knock he had seen at club level after the villagers lost their seventh consecutive toss but the visitors bowled on what was deemed a "batting paradise".
"He's a rare talent and a professional in the making," he said of Tryon (left) , hailing his work ethics after the batsman played seven games in eight days, including Bay rep and CD A duties.
Stirling felt Dale missed injured teenage seamer Ben Stoyanoff.
At Cornwall Park, Hastings, Ruahine Motors Central Hawke's Bay and Heretaunga Building Society Cornwall defied odds to tie at 232 runs.
Needing a run off two balls, Cornwall No8 Sam Hurley chopped Blair Tickner's penultimate delivery on to the stumps.
Cornwall's Graeme Hodges said they fancied their chances when a ball went for five wides in the final over but CHB bowlers had kept it tight.
Hodges praised Jono Hall and Angus Smith, as well as Nathan Worsley and Jayden Wiggins for taking the shine off the ball.