University of Ghana (UG) qualified to the 2016 Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges (UPAC) Basketball Championship by beating Marshalls University College 31-29 in the final game of Zone G on its’ home court.
The team will be in action in the quarter finals of the Championship between April 14 and April 15 after securing top spot in the zone. UG secured the spot on the back of an undefeated run in the preliminary rounds.
UG beat Wisconsin University College 52-32 in the opening game before taking on Central University College and handing the Sidney Larbie-led a 35-67 beat down. The win set up a mouth watering tie against reigning PUSAG (Private Universities Students Association Games) Basketball Champions in the final game of the day.
Billed as the matchup between the GUSA (Ghana Universities Sports Association) Basketball Championship UG and PUSAG Champions right from the onset of the qualifiers, the game did not disappoint.
Cheered on by a vociferous crowd UG took the fight to Marshalls and rightly so held a healthy 9-2 lead in the opening minutes , However, Marshalls warmed themselves into the game on the back of sharpshooter Daniel Okoe Laryea’s deadly three pointers.
Marshalls had a difficult offensive showing in the first and second quarters as shot attempts rattled off the rim and backboard many times before they started falling. Marshalls could not hold on for a repeat victory over UG as missed free throws particularly from star Guard Laryea prevented Marshalls from wiping out the two point deficit.
UG officially joins qualified teams including University of Development Studies-Tamale, University of Energy and Natural Resources and Takoradi Polytechnic. Despite placing second in the zone, Marshalls will be in the quarters as the best placed zone runner up between Zones A, F and G.
The 2016 UPAC Championship is headlined by Rexona, supported by Fanyogo, MTN and CAL Bank in partnership with Basketballghana.com, Y FM, TV3 and Ghana Sports.
