Accra Basketball League (ABL) defending champions, Reformers of Prisons, have been accused of allegedly causing the abrupt end of Game 2 of their Division One playoff with Braves of Customs.
The accusation follows dramatic yet suspicious developments during their final playoff match-up when, with the resurgent Braves coasting to victory with a six-point lead and seven minutes to go, power supply to the match venue suddenly went dead, plunging the court into darkness.
Braves were leading 48-42 when the lights at the Prisons’ court went off, but nearby buildings were brightly lit with no apparent power problems.
Meanwhile, when officials from ABL and the Ghana Basketball Association attempted to follow up to establish what was wrong with the court’s power source and probably restore it for the match to continue, they were prevented from doing so.
As a result, the game was abruptly called off.
This particular final playoff turned out to be a repeat of the 2020/21 season which saw the Reformers gallantly end Braves’ reign. And this time around, Braves demonstrated their intent to reclaim their title after Game 1, beating their Prisons counterparts 76-61.
But, the Reformers were unwilling to go down without a fight and in Game 2, subjected Braves to a near-beating, taking a 16-point lead at the end of the first half.
In the opening quarter, Reformers secured a healthy grip on the game, ending with a 13-3 lead, before subjecting Braves to the 16-point deficit. The script of the first-half threatened to continue as the game progressed into the 3rd quarter, with Reformers stretching their lead to 19 points.
However, a resolute Braves side fought back to deny them a comeback win in the series, and ultimately put on hold their quest to win consecutive ABL titles. 36-17 was how the scoreboard read before a couple of three-point rallies and fast breaks, coupled with a heavy change in defensive approach saw Braves crawl from the pits of a near-humiliating defeat.
“Adaptation in our defensive structure, to neutralise their offense, changed the game for us,” Richard Borsah, head coach at Braves told Joy Sports.
And it sure did, as Reformers were restricted to only four points after the start of the second half, with Braves posting up 17. The 3rd quarter ended with the teams tied on 40 points – Reformers entering the 3rd intermission looking stunned.
At the start of the final quarter, it was evident the Reformers had been left shell-shocked as Braves took a quickfire 6-point lead, carrying over their midpoint 3rd quarter momentum. Midway through the 4th quarter, and with Reformers also saddled with foul trouble, Braves’ Nii Kwate was handed a chance to extend their lead from the foul line, and the mood amongst their fans was that of overcoming defeat.
However, all their momentum and excitement was going to be watered down, as the game was paused by officials when the rains came pouring. Nevertheless, it resumed just about 20 minutes later, after fans of Braves cleaned the courts.
But with seven minutes left on the clock and Braves leading 48-42, darkness engulfed the court, induced by the unexplained outage.
Meanwhile, officials at ABL have informed Joy Sports of their intent to send an official complaint to the Prisons Service, for an investigation into events.
