The opening game of the Finals Series in the 2019 Tema Community Basketball League between Nungua Coldstore and Spintex Knights lived up to the hype.
The highly anticipated matchup was played out earlier tonight at the Tema Community 4 Court with a healthy crowd in attendance.
Knights lost 67-70 despite holding the game’s lead for long stretches in the final and third quarters respectively; Game 2 is on February 23 at the same venue.
Coldstore Forward Kwaku Arhin Twene and Shooting Guard Jonathan Walker scored late in the game to put Coldstore up 70-67 with 13 seconds remaining after Knights Center Rashid Kuta converted two of four free throw attempts.
Spintex Point Guards Kontor Appiah and Fred Asante should feel hard done by the result after both players delivered impressive performances on the night.
Asante stole the ball off Joel Tham after pressing the latter high up the court and delivered a pass to Appiah for a simple layup to give Knights a 55-51 third quarter lead. Prior to the shot, a trio of three pointers from Appiah turned the game round for his side.
Two time league winners Coldstore had a good start with an 18-12 first quarter lead but managed to hang in the tie and pull off a dogged performance.
The team played without instrumental Forward Dennis Dugbennu for the entire third quarter after he fouled out of the game.
Beaten Semifinalists Tema Rockets and Tema Community 4 were scheduled to play for the League’s Bronze Medal but the tie was cancelled.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
