By: Muhammad Faheem Anwar
ISLAMABAD: Punjab emerged victorious in both the men’s and women’s categories of the Independence Day Inter-Provincial Basketball Championship, organized by the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBBF) at Liaquat Gymnasium, Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad.
The closing ceremony of the five-day championship was graced by Federal Secretary Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Nadeem Irshad Kayani and Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Yasir Pirzada as chief guests. The event was held under the supervision of the Federal Basketball Association (FBBA). Also in attendance were President of the Pakistan Basketball Federation Brig. (R) Muhammad Iftikhar Mansoor, Secretary General Khalid Bashir, Senior Vice President Imtiaz Rafi Butt, President of the Federal Basketball Association Ejaz Rafi Butt, Secretary General Ouj e Zahoor, Azam Dar, and other distinguished personalities.
In the men’s final, Punjab claimed the title after a hard-fought victory over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), securing a win with a score of 69-68 points. Abdullah scored 22 and Muhammad Taimour scored 15 points for winning side while Umer Khan scored 15 points for KP.
Meanwhile, Islamabad A secured third place by defeating Islamabad B in a closely contested match, 67-62.
On the women’s side, Punjab dominated the finals, overwhelming Islamabad A with a commanding 64-17 victory. Ayman Ali and Sana were standout performers, contributing 16 and 12 points respectively to Punjab’s triumph. In the third-place match, Sindh outplayed Islamabad B, winning 50-29.