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Our Correspondent
Kohima village, March 6 (EMN): Stallions Club emerged as champions of the 1st Stallions Cup open basketball tournament after defeating Kohima Chiefs in the final at Christ King Higher Secondary school in Kohima village on Saturday evening.
Playing a thrilling final match, in-form Kohima Chiefs took the lead with 17-14 and 38-31 during the first quarter and second quarter respectively against Stallions Club.
However, Kohima Chiefs had to bow down with a deficit of four points in the third and fourth quarters.
A spirited Stallions Club restored parity in the third quarter and took the lead with 51 - 46.
Following a foul committed by Kohima Chiefs during the dying moments of the game, Seyievizo Kire who was playing as small forward added two more points from a free throw making it 63-59 in favour of Stallions Club to clinch the title at the end of the final quarter.
Viliebeituo Rutsa, Ruopfüvizo Mechülho and Kevilhoubei Khezhie officiated the final match.
Earlier during the day, Stallions Club entered the final after edging past Ophidians with 61-38 in the first semi-final match while Kohima Chiefs sailed through to the final with 43-35 against Orca during the second semi-final match.
Winning the tournament, Stallions received a cash award of INR 20,000 with a glittering trophy while Kohima Chiefs received INR 10,000 with a trophy.
In the individual category, Keneitsizo Belho fetched INR 5,000 as the most valuable player (MVP) of the tournament while Thejazo Rutsa received INR 3,000 who was adjudged as the finals MVP. Both the players are from Kohima Chiefs.
Meanwhile, Kevilhoubei Khezhie and Ketosenuo Whuorie won the men's and women's three point contest respectively where cash prizes were awarded to both the participants.
Ethnic Ballers beat Nessus in the exhibition match and both the teams were also awarded cash prizes during the prize distribution ceremony.
Special guest Medozhazo Rutsa, president of Suncity Kohima and Rev.Fr. Rang Anthony, principal of Christ King Higher Secondary School, Kohima handed over the prizes to the winners.
Speaking before the final match, Medozhazo Rutsa, president of Suncity said basketball is one of the most popular games in the world while exhorting the players.
Mentioning that some of the renowned players who have left footprints in the basketball hall of fame with outstanding performances were even below 6 feet in height, he reminded the participants not to be discouraged because of their short stature.
Sharing how Mizoram were crowned the champions in the sub-junior level in the year 2019, he said the basketball game is slowly picking up in the state of Nagaland too.
He hoped that with more tournaments like the one being organised by Stallions Club and more infrastructures and opportunities come up, many more talents will be polished to represent the state in the national levels.
Rutsa underscored the need to have discipline, determination, devotion and dedication in order to shine and succeed as a player. "Whenever you play in any tournament, we should always remind ourselves as a team that great moments are born from great opportunity," he shared.
He further informed that Suncity Kohima would be organising the 12th Open Basketball Tournament (OBT) anytime this year with "more exciting prizes" for both the participating teams and the fans too with the hope of sailing through the pandemic.
Altogether, 12 teams from and within Kohima competed in the four-day tournament organised by Stallions Club.
Kikrusetuo John Pienyu, a member of the organising committee informed Eastern Mirror that during the competition, they have placed a charity box at the venue seeking contributions from the fans for helping the orphans.
With the money accumulated during the tournament, he said members of Stallions Club would also aid the charity fund with which they would be visiting an orphanage home.