Basketball: Defending champions Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) defeated Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) 76-61 to claim their third consecutive departmental basketball title at the Swimming Pool Complex in Thimphu yesterday.

Team RBA outpaced RBP in a very physical game. The game began with an aggressive approach from both the teams. The game was equally matched physically; the result however, was determined by speed.

A complete transformation in team RBA was seen from their first game against PNB on October 4. The players were much faster with precise shots on target and unparalleled jumps.

In the women’s category, defending champions Drukair lost 50-58 to Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC). The newly formed BOC team like the rest of their games in the competition started unsteadily giving out opportunities for Drukair to take a four-basket lead midway through the first quarter.

However, after getting the hang of it, BOC started to respond. They finished the first quarter with just a point behind Drukair. The next quarter went to BOC.

Drukair’s main player Tshering Pem was completely hounded by BOC restricting her to just a few baskets. The point deficit grew in favour of BOC with each passing quarter.

Things became worse when Tshering Pem exited the game with an injured ankle. BOC capitalised on the situation and took the deficit to 10 points, the highest in the game midway through the final quarter.

BOC’s key player Pem Choki said that the finals was the most difficult game for the team and it took extra effort from all the players to win their first championship. “We were playing offensive but had to change the strategy midway to adapt with their gameplay.”

The debutant team won all of their five games in the competition.

A total of 20 men’s and five women’s teams from various departments under different organisations and ministries took part in the two-week competition.

The competition was organised by SD Events Management.

Younten Tshedup

Advertisement