Chennai Slam stop Pune Peshwas’ juggernaut
25th July – Balewadi Stadium, Pune: Stopping Pune Peshwas’ juggernaut in the UBA Pro Basketball League, Chennai Slam defeated hometown favourites, Pune Peshwas 98-91 in a best of three semifinal game of the South Division on Monday evening.
With Pune’s star player Narender out with an injury and also missing Mane from the start, Pune Peshwas didn’t let it affect their game as they gave Chennai Slam a tough fight.
Jairam was the top scorer of the match with 29 points and was also named Player of the Match.
The start of the match saw both teams approach the game with a particular game-plan and the Pune Peshwas knew that they had to punch above their weight in order to win.
Chennai Slam needed a good start and displayed their attacking intent early on. They went ahead in the first quarter, leading 25-18 with Jairam displaying good form.
In the second quarter, Pune Peshwas fell behind by 12 points at one time but thanks to their fighting spirit, came back strong and took the lead with the score reading 41-40 at halftime.
Jairam was the main threat to the Pune Peshwas as he scored points with ease but Pune did well to contain him in the second quarter.
Despite playing their third game in as many days, Pune didn’t allow fatigue to get the better of them and fought for every point.
In the third quarter, Pune Peshwas continued from where they left off in the second, intensifying their game play and tackling the pressure from Chennai’s attacking forays. Chennai Slam were unable to exert their dominance over a weakened Pune Peshwas and as a result, Pune managed to take a slender lead of 63-62 going into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter saw a rejuvenated Chennai Slam, as they took a six-point lead with five minutes left as the score read 79-73 in their favour.
Pune Peshwas fought back valiantly and thanks to the superlative effort of Mane, levelled the score at 81-81 with just a little less than three minutes left.
But Chennai prevailed as Agu and Cammy scored some crucial points although Pune had every reason to leave the court with their heads held high.
Chennai Slam 98 & Pune Peshwas 91
Chennai Slam 98 (Jairam 29, Ram 25, Cammy 17) & Pune Peshwas 91 (Abhishek 24, Mane 22, Das 13)
