"We tightened up defensively and grabbed those rebounds. We just weren't going to lose tonight because we knew our backs were against the wall," said the 29-year-old centre from South Carolina who scored a double-double, his second this season, of 17 points and 20 rebounds, 12 defensively.
Asked if the guards made a difference in boosting the field goals to 49 per cent, Atkinson replied: "Especially against a good team like that because if you don't bring it, man, they're gonna beat you by 20 or 30."
Co-skippers Paora Winitana (19 points) and Jarrod Kenny (12 points, eight assists, 5 rebounds) led by example.
"We just found a way and played hard," Atkinson said, mindful it was the first time they had shot more than 60 points in a game.
Fellow overseas big man Suleiman Braimoh, of Nigeria, scored 19 points and collected seven rebounds.
"Hopefully it's a sign of better things to come, you know," Atkinson said.
Crucially the Hawks contributed 17-6 points off the bench against the Rangers, newcomer and guard Luke Aston putting his hand up with nine points and forward Morgan Natanahira six.
"Once you get the first win out of the way you start feeling confident with what you're doing so it's going to get better from there," Atkinson said as they prepare to play their first game on the road, against Taranaki Mountainairs at 7pm this Sunday.
"Hopefully we're a better road team than a home team," he said with a grin but thanking the PG Arena faithful and urging them to stick with them because they'll get better.
It was an 18-18 first quarter but the Hawks would have kicked themselves for letting the Rangers back into the game with unforced errors, especially a rash of turnovers, that saw a promising six-point margin evaporate.
The second spell began with the visitors picking up six points as the Hawks' passes went begging.
However three quick baskets from Natanahira helped the hosts level terms, 27-27 but it was stock exchange time as halftime beckoned with Winitana and Braimoh dropping shots from downtown.
Rangers' Aussie imports Jason Cadee and Tom Garlepp called their bluff, with a basket-and-one and a three-pointer amid the 12-point scoring spree to head for the locker room with a 41-35 lead.
Two minutes into the third spell, Kenny out-rebounded Rangers skipper Hayden Allen to plant a basket before exchanging pleasantries to lock proceedings at 43-43.
The sides traded goals before an Atkinson slam dunk pushed the Hawks to a 56-47 lead six minutes into the third quarter before signing off with a don't-argue 27-19 spell.
The final stanza saw the sides locked 69-69 with the Hawks bench receiving a barking "No more, no more" from referee Miguel Gallardo.
It was 71-71 with the four-minute mark approaching when co-skipper Winitana dropped one from the carpark to collect kudos from his troops as Green called timeout.
But Winitana wasn't done, gleefully intercepting a ball, push-diving the runaway pass to Atkinson who delivered a hanging slam dunk for a 76-73 lead.
Casey Frank took exception to Braimoh over something but the refs commendably took control in a game where the lead changed hands 15 times and the scores were tied 13 times.
Rangers player/assistant coach Dillon Boucher vented his spleen at ref Tim Brown after a dismal air ball with Hawks leading 81-77 and 41.3s left on the clock.
Winitana claimed two from the charity line (83-77) as Boucher humoured him but Green's impending timeout was too little, too late for the Rangers.
Allen took his hat off to the hosts for an outstanding third quarter.
"Their Americans did a hell of a job, stepping outside and getting on the boards. We tried to dissipate that but we'll take this one and move on," Allen said, after beating the Manawatu Jets 115-94 in Palmerston North the night before.
"It's always hard on the road but that is not to say it's not disheartening and disappointing to lose this one when we had some control," he lamented.
Allen said his bigs - Garlepp (game-high 31 points), Casey Frank (12 rebounds), Boucher - boxed out well but their guards needed to forage more for loose balls.
"Our bigs have got their hands full so we need to help out," said Allen who scored 11 points and claimed seven from the board while Reuben Te Rangi added 17 points.
