Nepal Basketball League 2019 Playoffs: Army a step closer to final, Nepal Police make a good start

Nepal Basketball League 2019 playoffs have started with Nepal Army Club defeating Times International Club 79-65 to move a step closer to the final of the second edition of the league.

A splendid display from the Man of the Match Aayush Singh of Nepal Army Club helped his team outclass their title rivals Times International Club. He dropped 24 points, provided 2 assists, and took 1 rebound. Nepal Army was comfortable from the start of the match. They took the first two quarters 26-13 and 22-20 respectively to take a 15-point lead going into the half-time break with the score of 48-32.

After the break, Times tried to come back in the match by taking the third quarter 17-9 to reduce Army’s lead to 7 points with last quarter left to play. But Army came out stronger in the last quarter to take it 22-15 and won the match by 14 points.

Man of the Match Aayush Singh (R) of Nepal Army Club

Nepal Army Club now takes a 1-0 lead in the best of three match series. The winner of this best of three series will advance to the final of the Nepal Basketball League 2019 while the loser of this series will play the winner of another playoff series (best of three) between Nepal Police Club and Golden Gate International Club.

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Nepal Police beat Golden Gate

Nepal Police Club defeated defending champions Golden Gate International Club

In the other match of the playoffs, Nepal Police Club defeated defending champions Golden Gate International Club 78-72 to take the lead in the best of three series. Golden Gate started the match in a positive note by taking the first two quarters 22-20 and 22-21 respectively but fell short in the second half of the match as Nepal Police Club took the last two quarters 13-12 and 24-16 respectively to win the match. Bikash Gurung of Nepal Police Club was adjudged Man of the Match. He netted 23 points, collected 13 rebounds and made 1 steal to defeat the defending champions.

Bikash Gurung (L) of Nepal Police Club was adjudged Man of the Match.

Nepal Basketball League is now in playoff stage after the completion of the round robin matches of the league. Nepal Army Club, Times International Club, Golden Gate International Club and Nepal Police Club finished in the top four positions respectively and entered the playoffs.