Dar es Salaam. Vijana City Bulls rallied to hold ABC to a 50-50 draw in pre-season friendly match at the Twalipo courts in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.
The match served as a build-up ahead of the Regional Basketball League (RBA) opening next month at the National Indoor Stadium in the city.
ABC looked destined for an easy victory after they put Vijana at bay for most part of the third quarter.
The army team posted a convincing 18-8 lead at the end of the first quarter, and kept on scoring almost at will for a 30-18 half time lead.
Looking unperturbed, City Bulls moved up a gear and managed to reduce the deficit to 40- 35 at the end of the third quarter.
Vijana were down by a half basketball eight seconds to the final whistle. Mohammed Ally “Dibo” leveled maters in the last second to force the game to 50-all at the end.
Ephraim Mwaipungu posted 15 points for ABC while his teammate Gilbert Batungi added 10.
Dibo, who returned to his former team after a professional career in Uganda, penned 12 points for City Bulls.
Later, Jeshi Stars defeated Vijana Queens 56-17 in the women series at the same venue yesterday. .Jeshi Stars are national basketball champions
(By Brown Msyani)