The seventeenth encounter of the Carlton Basketball Championships 2104 commenced today between HSC Blues BC and Old Bens BC. Old Bens BC still stuck in their nightmare of losing games during the second half walked away with tears shed in a good game of basketball when the final scoreboard read in favour of HSC Blues BC 88-64.
It was predicted to be a match that would square the game every now and then but the home team made the fortune tellers statements just normative. Old Bens throughout the rest of the matches played; did play good minutes of basketball during the first phase of the game which they repeated the same, when Zygmantes Kurupkis started swishing the nets four times at a row during the first half which clearly made the home team think twice about the defence. The home team knowing the fact they did leak a few points on their end came back strongly to catch up the deficit and led the game by twelve points when Thushan Perera and Nisal Fernando contributed their proportion to the scorecard and bought the first quarter to an end with 28-16.
The second quarter commenced with pressure right up on the sleeves of the Old Bens BC and they handled it a commendable manner where they went to score twenty-eight points in the quarter with breath-taking offensive moves by Clinton Thevakumar and Zygmantes Kurupkis. Yet the defence of the visitors was not solid in structure as they leaked eighteen points in the quarter which made the home team retain the control of the game by a six point lead. Both the teams were matched-up equally in height but the rebounds did not come in handy for Old Bens BC in the defensive aspect where they failed and let the home team to build up the foundation that would lead to a win.
(Half Time – HSC Blues BC – 46 Old Bens BC -40)
The first phase after lemons commenced when Mithila Abeseykara swished the nets to increase the lead by eight points. Old Bens BC holds the key on drawing fouls as half of the outfit penetrates the defence fearlessly and turn them into points at the free-throw line. Yet the Old Bens BC had to go back to sleep and dream the usual nightmare of losing a game during the second phase when HSC Blues BC capitalised on the early lead and went on to score twenty three points this quarter. Zygmantes Kurupkis who played good minutes during the first twenty minutes started to act as beginner in the sport when he refused to dish assists and end up the offence positions without a basket. The sagging man-to-man defence from both the sides did not act well as Old Bens too went on to score nineteen points in the quarter courtesy of Clinton Thevakumar.
The final ten minutes of with ten point deficit to close down and shift the hands of the game to the Old Bens BC. It was such a pity to witness that they scored only five points throughout the entire final ten minutes. Bad passing of the ball was witnessed a couple of times which could have been easily converted into points and helped tp relive pressure off. HSC Blues BC patiently waiting till the opposition making the mistake and then capitalised on to win the game by twenty four points. Zygamantes Kurupkis was subbed in by Joyce Sella when he played his own game of basketball which indeed affected the outfit. The full court-press by the home team was solid in structure when they intercepted almost half of the passes that were shifting across hands on the floor. Home team playing the fundamentals of the game in the most concerned way deserved the victory tonight.
(Full time – HSC Blues – 88 Old Bens BC – 64)
