Formerly part of the Tema Municipal Assembly, Ashaiman became the capital of a new municipal assembly created in 2008.
Hence the rivalry between them and Tema communities has always been one of showing who is boss.
On Sunday, the lads from Ashaiman beat their counterparts from Sakumono (89-72) to net the highest scoring game in the Rush Community Basketball Tournament.
There was no love lost between the two as Sakumono Chargers Power Forward Kwame Boamah Djan gave his opposite number a cut below the eye early in the game.
The Chargers looked jittery and nervous in their play knowing very well a loss would put them in a difficult position to claim the title. As such they missed unchallenged layups, free throws and air-balled three point shots.
Perhaps having won a game already put the Tigers in a better state of mind to settle better as Emmanuel Amartey made a couple of three pointers to hand Ashaiman a 10-3 lead before Chargers Coach Kennedy called a timeout.
The jitters were still evident for Sakumono as missed free throws and layups continued. Livewire Kwame Boamah made good on his misses by putting in a good shift in defense with two blocks including one on Ashaiman Shooting Guard Elvis Pobi Siaw; the Tigers took a commanding 24-8 lead into the second quarter.
Doubling up on defense, the Tigers made a couple of steals that led to fastbreak points with their backcourt tandem of Elvis and Amartey in the mix; Amartey also made a pair of three pointers. Always in the thick of affairs from the Chargers, Kwame Boamah left the game after elbowing an Ashaiman player. The injury list grew longer after Sakumono Point Guard Owusu Afriyie got caught in the chest with an elbow from Ashaiman’s Philip Amalor to completely exit the game after making a three pointer.
In the second half, the exertions from previous quarters took a toll on both teams as neither team could fashion out any ball movement. The game then stalled on reckless fouls and free throw shooting. The Chargers put up a good run at lowering the points difference by getting into the lane and scoring virtually unchallenged as four Ashaiman players fouled out. Ashaiman’s Dennis Dugbennu maintained his team’s lead with a pair of two handed dunks to give fans some aerial athleticism.
One To Watch: Had he not fouled out and extended his 22 minutes on court, Point Guard Emmanuel Amartey would have added to his 14 points. Back court teammate Elvis Siaw scored a game high 31 points after dropping 27 on the Cape-Coast Bears in the previous game.
