Nungua Coldstore has successfully completed the double by beating Spintex Knights 93-80 win in Game 2 of the 2019 Tema Community Basketball League Finals earlier tonight.
Coldstore had to again survive scores of attacks from Knights until the final minutes where late shots from League Most Valuable Player Award Winner Joel Tham pulled them away.
Coldstore took an 8-1 lead with 2:22 minutes played as Emmanuel Wolff drained a three point shot and Joseph Awuletey completed a three point play. Joel Tham converted two free throws to stretch the lead. Kontor Appiah scored a three point shot to end Spintex scoring drought.
Samuel Abbey drained two free throw attempts as Knights trailed 6-10 with 5:26 minutes played. The teams traded baskets but Kwame Boamah Djan missed three free throw attempts after getting fouled on a deep shot attempt. Elvis Pobi Siaw drained a buzzer beating three pointer for Knights to trail 18-19 at the end of the first quarter.
Dennis Dugbennu scored five points including completing a three point play to give Coldstore a 24-22 lead with 4:53 minutes played. Knights went on a five point run to take the game’s lead with a 31-24 result with six minutes played.
Emmanuel Ocquaye tipped in an offensive rebound but Coldstore responded with a three pointer from Aminu Abibu and Dugbennu tip in. Abdul Bashiru’s two point shot ended the second quarter with Knights up 37-32.
Coldstore punished Knights turnovers with eight straight points including a beautiful ball fake and layup from Jonathan Walker to take a 40-39 lead before Djan added two points from the free throw line. Abbey went on a coast to coast drive to score for Knights. Appiah hit a three pointer to give his side a 44-42 lead with 4:49 minutes left. Two sets of three point plays from Djan and Tham put up 52-45. Three point shots from Abibu and Tham gave Coldstore a 62-52 third quarter lead.
Shots from Awuletey and Kofi Elias sandwiched Appiah’s three pointer early in the quarter. Rashid Kuta delivered a major slam off a missed three pointer from Appiah to send the crowd wild. Walker and Wolff delivered three point shots apiece to give Coldstore a 75-61 lead with 4:34 played.
Knights Guards Pobi-Siaw and Appiah hit three point shots to trail 70-75 with six minutes played. Walker added four points after another big Kuta dunk to restore Nungua’s nine point lead. The teams traded baskets but Coldstore held an 81-77 lead and Tham stretched it to six points with 1:10 minutes left to play.
Dugbennu scored for Coldstore after a huge block from Kuta. Tham stole ball off Appiah and slammed a dunk; he converted two free throws to put Nungua a 91-80 win with 28 seconds left. Walker iced the game from the free throw to give Coldstore a 93-80 win.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
