Jeshi Stars beat Don Bosco lionesses by 58-48 points in a tension-packed encounter of the Dar es Salaam regional basketball women league at the National Indoor Stadium on Sunday.
The win has elevated Stars, who are among the stalwarts in the league, to stay in contention for the title while breathing heavily before the neck of equally competitive rivals JKT Stars.
Jeshi Stars made a resounding resurgence to overwhelm their opponents who looked dominant at the early stages of the match.
Don Bosco started the game promisingly to claim 14-11points lead at the end of the first quarter with towering centre player Nina Mliga thwarting a series of moves orchestrated by Jeshi Stars.
She intermittently attempted to surge upfront in support of teammates Amina Ahmed, Linda John, Jasmine Bablia and Sajida Ahmed to spearhead onslaughts.
Jeshi Stars opted for an aggressive game during the closing stages of the second quarter to pin their opponents into retreat.
Stars took a narrow one point lead (21-20) at half time mark in the spellbinding match.
Tensioned reigned high in the remaining two quarters as players from both sides committed a series of flagrant fouls in a desperate attempt to contain each other’s attacks.
Jeshi Stars effectively deployed their blistering pace down the lanes to open up Don Bosco defense in the third quarter.
Jeshi Stars’ Faraja Malaki and Jabu Shaaban played with impressive precision in the last quarter to besiege Don Bosco defense.
Shaaban had 18 points, Malaki pumped 17 and seasoned player Grace Peter finished with eight for Jeshi Stars, while Don Bosco lionesses scorers were Sajida Ahmed with 11 points, Linda John and Bablia had eight points apiece while Amina Ahmed had seven.
The men’s category saw Tanzania Prisons bounce back with 79-61 victory over PT Stars in a match played earlier at the same venue.