Big names continued to contribute as Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) registered their ninth consecutive victory with slim 89-84 victory over Team Budanilkantha Municipality (TBM) in the Kwiks Basketball League on Wednesday.

In their away match, national team skipper Sadish Pradhan netted 20 points and consistent Rabin Khatri chipped in with 18 points and 11 assists as the Armymen stayed strong at the top of the table with 27 points. Golden Gate International College (GGIC) stay in second on score difference after they were tied on 21 points with Bishal Milan Kendra (BMK).

While GGIC have played 11 matches, BMK have played nine. Himalayan Hounds are fourth with 18 points from 11 games. Kirtipur Basketball Team, who have played 8 games, remain unchanged in fifth place despite crashing to a shock 67-57 defeat away to lowly South Siders Basketball Club. After winning their first four matches, Kirtipur have gone on to lose four consecutive games.

South Siders climbed to sixth from eighth spot on score difference after they were tied on six points with TBM and Xavier International College. South Siders (9 matches) and TBM (10 matches) are only left with mathematical chances for top four spots for playoffs. Xavier (11 games) are already out of contention.

TAC had to sweat for the first time in the tournament after TBM build a modest eight-point (26-18) lead in the first quarter. But the Armymen hit hard in the second quarter overturning the lead to nine points by scoring a whopping 30 and restricting the hosts to 13. The third quarter was tied on 20-points each and despite TBM taking the final period 25-21, the match had already slipped out of their hand.

Binod Maharjan took 18 rebounds for TAC and scored 13 points, while Ayush Singh scored 12. Biraj Rana posted a match-high 31. Pushpa Raut had three 3-pointers in his 13 points and Utsav Chand scored 12 points apart from taking seven rebounds.

In the evening match at the St Xavier’s College court, Rabin Gautam rolled in five 3-pointers to score 33 points in handing South Siders their second win of the tournament.

Subrat Rajopadhyaya also played his part with 18 rebounds and 14 points for South Siders who went ahead by 18-11 in the first quarter. Kirtipur reduced the deficit to two points taking the second period 19-14.

South Siders led the third quarter 16-14 for a slim four-point lead going into the decider and hung on in the final period in which they ended up leading 19-13. Anil Khadgi Shahi and Abhishek Singh scored 18 points for Kirtipur. Sumanga Bogati had 12 rebounds. South Siders will play away to BMK in the only match on Thursday.