Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) on Friday swept aside Bishal Milan Kendra (BMK) 111-92 in a high-scoring match of the Kwiks Basketball League. 

Already assured of the top spot, TAC rode on 34 points from Sadish Pradhan and double-double from Rabin Khatri and Binod Maharjan to win their 12th consecutive victory in the tournament. The Armymen have 36 points, currently 12 points ahead of Golden Gate International College (GGIC), BMK and Himalayan Hounds who are only separated by score difference. 

Fifth-placed Kirtipur Basketball Team are the only team in hunt for the top four playoff spots with 15 points from 11 games but are under pressure to win all their remaining three matches, that too with a huge margin. While Hounds and BMK have one match left, GGIC still have two games in hand. If Kirtipur lose to GGIC in their away match on Saturday, they will be knocked out of the tournament.

At the Bishalnagar basketball court, the hosts managed to hold on to a seven-point cushion until TAC fought back in the third quarter to overturn the lead. BMK took an eight-point (22-14) lead in the first quarter and TAC just managed to get one-point reduction in the deficit taking the second period 31-30. But the game completely turned around in the third quarter where Army scored a whooping 39 points and restricted BMK to 12. 

With a huge 20-point advantage in the final quarter, BMK’s 28-27 lead in the decider hardly mattered for TAC. Pradhan sunk in six 3-pointers, while he also had seven rebounds and six assists. Man-of-the-match Khatri scored 23 points and made 14 assists, while Maharjan had 14 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. 

Ayush Singh also rolled in 18 points for the Armymen. Bikash Gurung gave a tough contest to TAC scoring 33 points that included three 3-pointers. He also took seven rebounds. Bibek Shrestha netted 18 points and had 10 rebounds, while Sandesh Tamang scored 11 and took six rebounds. 

In a clash between two already-eliminated sides, South Siders Basketball Club edged out bottom team Xavier International College 69-57 on the back of 18 points and 12 rebounds from Sanjay Byanjankar Junior.  Xavier were undone in the first two quarters which South Siders controlled 14-10 and 21-16 for a nine-point lead going into 

the break. 

Playing away at Xavier International College basketball court, the visitors built the lead to 11 points leading the third quarter 14-12 and another 20-19 advantage in the final quarter gave South Siders their fourth victory in the tournament. 

South Siders, one of the oldest clubs participating in the tournament, had to bow out from the early stage after giving a below-par performance in the first half of the tournament. The last two consecutive victories have helped them save some blushes with 12 points and in sixth spot. 

On Friday, Rabin Gautam also contributed 15 points for South Siders that included three 3-pointers. Minesh Shakya had 14 points and six assists with Subrat Rajopadhyaya contributing with nine rebounds. 

Ajay Kushwaha scored 13 points and took nine rebounds for Xavier. Ashish Basnet’s 

11 points included three 3-pointers. Xavier, with six points at the bottom, will play away to BMK on Saturday.