Sree Kerala Varma beat Sahrdaya in extra time thriller in Sacred Heart basketball

Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, clinched an extra time thriller with Sahrdaya College, Kodakara, to enter the final of the Sacred Heart CMI Academy Inter-Club Basketball Tournament on Sunday.

Kerala Varma won 88-77 after the game was tied at 68 at the end of the fourth quarter. The teams were level at 17 at the end of the first quarter before Kerala Varma made it 38-26 at half time. However, the experienced players of Sahrdaya, inspired by senior state players Antony Johnson and Rijas, got their side back in the game.

Hosts Sacred Heart were knocked out by RSC Starting Five Kochi in a quarterfinal fixture late on Saturday. The winners of the second semifinal between RSC and SB College, Changanacherry will play Kerala Varma in the final.

Result (semifinal): Sree Kerala Varma 88 (Bevin 29, Shahal Muhammed 15, Aswin 14, Althaf 13, Abin 12) bt Sahrdaya 77 (Antony Johnson 17, Ananthu 15, Rijas 13, Brian 11)