Recap
Final (10:00 AM-11:00 AM) Saturday, Feb 25, 2006
Kawthar
Takathur
  1 2 T
Kawthar (7-2-0) 35 15 50
Takathur (3-6-0) 25 14 39

Kawthar Knocks Off Takathur Feb 28, 2006
by Teepu Khawja  

This game was the winter league's first playoff game and the grudge match between these two teams that saw Kawthar win by just one point in the regular season after a buzzer beater by Martin Konecny in Ahmir Butt's eye. There was no reason to believe that this game would be any less competitive. Coming into this game, Kawthar was riding a 3-game winning streak and the title of "least respected team" on thier shoulders, while Takathur had squeaked into the playoffs in 6th place with just 3 wins this season. Takathur boasted a line of 3 big men to Kawthar's 1 of Martin Konecny and planned on exploiting this fact. The game got off to a good start with both teams battling each other, but some unexpected shooting, especially from the 3-pt arc allowed for Kawthar to pull away at half time with a score of 35-25. The outside shooting of Aravinthan Ehamaram definitely surprised Takathur as they managed to limit Martin's productin to just 10 and 9; the focus on Martin allowed Kawthar's other players to be wide open and they capitalized going 5-10 from behind the arc while Takathur could only manage a 3-15 night from behind the arc.

The second half was a different story and was a back and forth affair, but Takathur was able to overcome its first half deficit. Despite good performances from Takathur's Ali and Jeron, the team's "bigs" did not do enough damage down low on either the offensive or defensive ends to pull this game out, leaving Takathur to end an overall disappointing season on a 50-39 loss. Though a big win for Kawthar, it was not the end of its day as they had to recoup before playing a second playoff game later in trhe day against 2nd place Sharh, with the winner advancing to the Finals.