Fire Service has lost its first game of the Accra Basketball League (ABL) Men’s Division I 2017 season following a 52-65 loss to Braves of Customs in a game played at the Lebanon House Court. Fire had won all three games this campaign but came unstuck against the defending champions.
The tempestuous game sapped all the nuances of a top liner fixture in the league. The game had to be haled several times as scuffles broke out mainly involving Fire Forward Farahat Tamimu and Braves Point Guard Patrick Gomerli.
Both players have a history following Tamimu’s expulsion from the team due to a feud with Gomerli ahead of the 2016 season.
Despite a 5-0 start from Fire, Braves clawed its way back into the tie to lead 7-5 midway through the first quarter and maintained its lead through the entire game with Baniba Dodzie, Jeffrey Djimatey and Daniel Aryee accounting for a chunk of the points.
Fire’s chances of recovering were doomed with 3:45 left to play in the fourth quarter as Shooting Guard David Laryea fouled out of the game.
The Guard combined with Daniel Amartey to score three consecutive attempts from the three point line to trail Braves by nine points at the end of the third quarter. The deficit got extended by two to end the game.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
