Title contenders Tribhuvan Army Club and Times International Club won their second consecutive matches of the Nepal Basketball League with contrasting victories on Monday.

On their way to registering a second consecutive away victory, Army overcame Nepal Police Club 89-81 in a departmental clash in Maharajgunj. Times, meanwhile, won their second match at home with a 78-47 crushing of South Siders Basketball Club in Dillibazar.

A strong-looking Times’ side with an average height of 6 feet not only scored freely but also kept South Siders at bay with 6.5 footer Bikram Joshi alone thwarting their opening several times. Times opened with an 11-point lead (22-11) and built on to it throughout the match. Times coach Prem Hona wanted his team to keep their feet grounded.

“Its good to start with second consecutive victory but we cannot get overconfident just by winning the first two matches. We are yet to be tested in an away match. We have a good squad and we need to keep this momentum going,” said Hona after the game.

The only time when South Siders gave a tough challenge to Times was in the second quarter when they scored 14 and stopped the opponents for 16. Times led the third quarter 12-8 and just when South Siders thought they could claw their way back into the game, the hosts raced away in the final period with a match-stealing 28-14 lead.

The game’s most valuable player Mabindra Chhetri had an allround performance with a double double, scoring 15 points and taking 10 rebounds. Chhetri also had seven turnovers and three assists.

Earlier in the day, Robin Khatri made the difference for Army side posting a match-winning 29 points in their eight-point win over Police. Army took a 30-22 lead in the first quarter and although NPC remained at their heels throughout the game, the departmental giants managed to hold on. Army took a slim two-point lead (21-19) in the second quarter.

Police lifted their game in the third and fourth quarters with identical 20-19 lead but their effort still fell short. Most valuable player Khatri also had four assists and three steals. On Tuesday, Kirtipur Basketball Team will host Royal Basketball Club and Golden Gate International Club will travel to Golfutar to meat Budhanilkantha Municipality Basketball Club.

Nabil joins hands with Nepal Basketball League

KATHMANDU: Nabil Bank on Monday joined hands with Nepal Basketball League as banking partner of Nepal’s longest and biggest basketball tournament. League organisers Play for Deprived Children Nepal and Nabil Bank Chief Executive Officer Anil Shah shared the memorandum of understand during a signing ceremony in Maharjgunj. “The format of the tournament will definitely boost Nepal’s domestic basketball. We are privileged to be a part of it,” Shah said.