The much-awaited Basketball Championship began on Saturday, January 25th, at the Hill Park Basketball Court. The inaugural ceremony was graced by Ashfaq Ahmed, Chairman of the Karachi Basketball Scrutiny Committee, who was the chief guest for the event. In his address, he emphasized the immense talent present in Karachi basketball but highlighted the need for more development and refinement. He also mentioned that the committee’s mandate includes scrutinizing clubs and conducting the elections for the Karachi Basketball Association.
On the opening day, four thrilling matches were played, all of which were witnessed by the Scrutiny Committee members.
Match 1: Nixor Club vs. Hill Park Club
The first match saw Nixor Club narrowly defeat Hill Park Club with a 33-32 victory. Hill Park led at halftime with a score of 19-15. Key performers for the winning team, Nixor, were Zakaria Ali with 12 points, Hamza Hamid with 7 points, and Zaid Adnan who contributed 6 points. For Hill Park, Mustafa Fasihi scored 10 points and Hassam Babur added 8 points.
Match 2: PECHS Club vs. Sharks Club
In the second match, PECHS Club triumphed over Sharks Club with a solid 34-22 win. Rayyan ul Haq was the standout player for PECHS, scoring 11 points. Bilal Rind contributed 7 points, while Zaid Khan added 5. Sharks’ key players were Huzaifa Mushtaq, who scored 8 points, and Abdul Nafah, who contributed 6.
Match 3: Karachi Youth Club vs. Paracha Club
The third match witnessed Karachi Youth Club edging out Paracha Club by a tight 39-35 scoreline. At halftime, Karachi Youth led 18-14. Murtaza was the top scorer for Karachi Youth with 10 points, supported by Munir Abbas (7 points) and Meer Murtaza (6 points). Paracha’s Kyle Christopher led his team with 12 points, and Shahzaib Sheikh added 7 points.
Match 4: Rising Star Club vs. Karachi Youth Club
The final match of the day featured a thrilling contest, with Rising Star Club defeating Karachi Youth Club 32-28. Munir Abbas was again a key contributor for Rising Star, scoring 11 points. Saifullah added 10 points, and Murtaza Khan chipped in with 6. Karachi Youth’s Haroon Khan top-scored with 12 points, while Syed Adnan Ali contributed 9 points in a losing effort.
The day was filled with high-energy games, and the tournament promises more excitement as the teams continue to battle it out for supremacy. The Scrutiny Committee will be closely monitoring the progress of the teams throughout the championship.
Stay tuned for more updates from the tournament!
