Mulki Sunder all-India C’ship: Income Tax beats ICF

Income Tax recorded its second straight win in the group stage, and progressed to the semifinal.

Income Tax player Ram Kumar (right) in action against ICF in Bnegaluru on Thursday.

Income Tax (Chennai) edged out Integral Coach Factory (ICF) 67-63 in the Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty all-India basketball tournament here on Thursday. Income Tax recorded its second straight win in this group stage, and progressed to the semifinal.

ICF power forward P. Vijay had a good outing - using his tall, athletic frame to scuttle the opponent’s advances. Income Tax centres Rikin Pethani and Ravi Kumar could not make much of an impact under the board, as Vijay and his team-mates frequently rejected their weak field-goal attempts.

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The tight marking got to Pethani in the final quarter, when the big man verbally abused the referee for not making a call in his favour. Pethani received a technical – his fifth personal foul – and exited the game.

At this stage, Income Tax held a slender 63-62 lead. ICF erred by failing to convert easy chances, while Income Tax’s Bopanna sealed the fate of the match with a late, long three-pointer.

• Income Tax (Chennai) 67 (Rikin Pethani 14, Ravi Kumar 14, Ram Kumar 14) bt ICF 63 (G.A. Anto 24, P. Vijay 14).