The third match of this second leg on the UBA Pro Basketball League was an interesting tussle between a team playing at home for the first time this season and another that was playing away similarly. The Peshwas were a strong presence in the Pune leg, but Sky caught fire toward the end of their stint in Pune.
The two teams were involved in a tremendous battle of energy and skill, needing two overtime plays to determine the winner. In the end, the host team pipped the visitors 101-97 to clinch a popular victory in front of a vocal local crowd.
Narender Grewal showcased his experience as a guard with international pedigree to drive home the advantage for Peshwas in a well contested first quarter. Joginder Singh, also an international and Nigerian Edwin Oneh combined for Hyderabad to deliver points for Hyderabad, but the hosts were trailing by six at the end of the first.
The second quarter saw a better-organized side to the team from Hyderabad. Joginder decided to take some risk, firing long range and making it stick. Nihal Yadav came off the bench and produced eight points on the run to add some oomph to the home team.
With a 16 point advantage in the second quarter (30-14), Sky went into the halftime break up by a handy ten points against a stunned Peshwas.
Nandu Mehta worked up a few counter-attacking moves for the Peshwas and Narender executed well, turning into a penetrative presence in the third quarter. He forayed repeatedly near the rim, either loading the bucket or forcing fouls off Sky’s rattled defenses.
The match swung to the Peshwas on the strength of a 13 point wedge they managed to drive into Hyderabad through that third quarter (26-13 for Pune).
Pune looked like they might hold on to their advantage and nail victory in the final quarter, but a resilient Sky team took the battle to the bitter end. Mahesh Padmanabhan scored twice from outside the ring to keep Sky within touch, but with just a minute to play, Peshwas still lead by four points.
Vinay Kumar made a clutch basket to inch Sky within two and Joginder turned play around to the Sky again by stealing the ball from Ajinkya Mane. Monish Wilson was fouled making a three-point effort and he converted two FTs to take Hyderabad level at 79.
It was Pune again that enjoyed a two-point lead with a minute to go in the first OT but Mahesh laid up an easy basket to draw even. The irrepressible guard was on fire in the final session of play, helping Sky pull clear as the clock inched its way to the five-minute mark.
He was the big difference between the two teams and not even his opponents would have grudged Padmanabhan’s player of the match reward. It was well earned.
Hyderabad Sky (Mahesh Padmanabhan 28pts, Joginder Singh 18pts, Edwin Oneh 14pts 10rbs) bt Pune Peshwas (Siddhanth Shinde 33pts 5asts, Narender Grewal 12rbs, Ajinkya Mane 11pts) 101-97 (18-24, 30-14, 13-26, 18-15, 8-8, 14-10)
