UBA Pro Basketball League Season 4 tips off as Pune Peshwas jump out to an early lead and hold off the Hyderabad Sky

Hyderabad/Chennai: Season 4 of the United Basketball Alliance (UBA) Pro Basketball League tipped off on Thursday as Hyderabad Sky faced the Pune Peshwas for the inaugural game. The UBA is being hosted in Chennai at the Sathyabama University, and if the opening game was any indication, we are in for a memorable season.

Hyderabad Sky was fielding two dynamic UBA debutants from the USA: the high-flying, albeit diminutive guard Tevin Kelly who stands just 5"11 but lives above the rim and the 6"9 Mak Boskailo who hails originally from Bosnia and has played in the Los Angles Drew League, which has seen stints from superstars like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant.

Pune Peshwas found themselves hamstrung in the first game as they were without three players, including one of the best 1-2 guard combination in the UBA in Siddhant Shinde and Ajinkya Mane, along with Pradeep Chauhan who were attending another tournament. They did feature newcomer Pierre Newton, who's played for Arizona State University. Indian captain Amritpal Singh made his long-awaited UBA debut as well. The newcomers wasted no time in living up to the billing.

The starting five for Hyderabad included Mahesh Padmanabhan, Tevin Kelly, Mak Boskailo, Joginder Singh and Manu Thomas. Pune fielded Pierre Newton, Amritpal Singh, Ajinkya Mehta, Narender Grewal and Arshpreet Bhullar. The very first minute saw the two big men on each team exchange baskets down low as Mak and Amritpal were quick to get to the rim to put their teams on the scoreboard. Pune came out with a purpose in the first quarter as four of their starters played the entire first ten minutes. The end of the first quarter saw Pune Peshwas build a 29-19 lead as the Hyderabad Sky shot themselves in the foot by shooting just 1 of 10 from downtown in the first quarter.

The law of averages evened out for Hyderabad as they finally made a couple of connections from downtown in the second quarter. After Hyderabad overcame Pune's initial lead in the second quarter, the game turned into a back and forth affair as both teams exchanged baskets with the ferocity of heavyweights exchanging jabs. By halftime, Pune held a 57-55 lead.

In the third quarter, Mahesh helped Hyderabad tie the game at 85 as he assisted on consecutive baskets, but the end of the third quarter saw Pune holding on to a 91-87 lead. Mak stayed on the bench for most of the quarter due to foul trouble but Mahesh and Kelly kept the game close for Hyderabad.

The fourth quarter was a close affair as neither team could breathe easy for a second with the momentum bouncing back and forth. Pune had a couple of easy misses right at the rim as the lead oscillated in single digits and Kelly helped Hyderabad keep the game close with some brave drives to mount a comeback, but it was a case of too little too late as Pune held on to win it 114-103.

Player of the game: Newton Pierre and Amrit Pal Singh

Pune Peshwas (Amritpal Singh 31, Pierre Newton 31, Narender Grewal 15) bt Hyderabad Sky 114-103 (Tevin Kelly 25, Mahesh Padmanabhan 22, Mak Boskailo)