Daily Times

KARACHI: Defending champions Pakistan Army annihilated Pakistan WAPDA 89-35 in the final to retain their title in the National Departmental Basketball Championship at the Arambagh Court here on Saturday. Army’s superiority was never in doubt since the start of the event and they did it in style winning all their four matches including the title clash of the event that was participated by six outfits. The eventual champions had also carved out 89-36 victory over the POF Wah and the final score showed a major difference. Besides the glittering trophy, two players also did Army proud by winning individual honours. Mohammad Atif was bestowed with the best player of the tournament award while their tallest player Tughlak Ammar earned man of the final prize. Mohammad Usman of the POF Wah won the top scorer award. He finished with an individual tally of 121 in the event.

Army enjoyed complete edge over their opponents and led 59-19 at half time having won the first quarter 29-9 and second 30-10. But contrary to the first two quarters, the soldiers become a bit slow which was quite evident from their scores of the last two quarters 18-11, 12-5. In the absence of the last runners-up Pakistan Air Force (PAF), WAPDA improved their rank by one step. WAPDA had ended up third in the last event. Prolific scorers Tughlak (23) and Atif (21) sparkled for the winners. They were supported by Rashid Minhas (14), Farhad Ahmed (12) and Naimatullah (11). Mohammad Salman was the only WAPDA player who finished in double digit with 11.

Earlier, POF Wah chalked up 94-71 victory over Pakistan Navy to seize third position. Former Director General Rangers Sindh Lt Gen (r) Javed Zia graced the final as the chief guest. Also present on the occasion were Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBF) secretary general Khalid Bashir, PBF associate secretary Abdul Nasir, Karachi Basketball Association (KBA) chairman Amjad Ali, KBA president Ghulam Mohammad, former international SM Tanveer, KPT`s general manager sports Syed Baseer Alam, Khalid Shamsi and Ghulam Haqqani.

Published in Daily Times, December 11^th 2017.