New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS): In a nail-biting encounter that went down to the wire, the Gujarat Stallions avenged their earlier tournament loss with a hard-fought 74-72 victory over the Chennai Heat in the InBL Pro U25 basketball league at the Thyagraj Indoor Stadium here on Monday. Despite the win, the Stallions find themselves on the backfoot on a head-to-head basis as the Chennai Heat beat them by eight points in the previous encounter between the two teams.

The game featured multiple lead changes and stellar performances from both sides, with Trendon Hankerson and Jock Perry leading the charge for the Stallions. Quarter one of the game saw the Chennai Heat take an early lead, spearheaded by Arvinder Singh, who started with impressive two-point and three-point moves. This set a strong platform for the Chennai Heat to maintain their advantage throughout the opening period.

Matt Gray picked up the responsibility for his team, carrying the ball well across the court and finding the basket with a couple of three-pointers. This allowed the Chennai Heat to carry a 17-13 lead heading into the second quarter, with the Gujarat Stallions relying on Trendon Hankerson's consistent performance.

With a narrow four-point deficit, the Stallions were still in contention. They mounted a strong comeback as Joshua Duach came off the bench to challenge their opponents. He scored a quickfire nine points, with a couple of two-pointers and one three-pointer to his name. This gave the Gujarat Stallions an impressive lead, as the Chennai Heat were caught on the back foot. Ably supported by the in-form Hankerson, the Stallions managed to maintain their lead despite the Chennai Heat's efforts to regain the advantage.

The Stallions' defense matched their offensive prowess, making life difficult for the Heat. The first half ended impressively, with Jock Perry joining the scoring spree. At the half-time break, the score stood at 41-29, with the Stallions in pursuit of revenge for their earlier tournament loss.

At the start of the third quarter, Gray was fouled at the edge of the free-throw line, allowing the Heat to narrow the gap. However, this didn't help them much, as he missed one of his two chances. He made up for it with an impressive three-pointer, as the see-saw battle saw the Chennai Heat working their way back into the game. With five minutes remaining in the third quarter, they trailed by just three points.

However, after the initial setback, the Stallions recovered well, extending their lead to eight points. Jock Perry was their main aggressor as the score reached 61-53, setting up an intense final quarter.

Tad Dufelmeier picked up the pace for the Chennai Heat, but Hankerson continued to lead from the front, supported by Amarendra Nayak, who converted both his free-throw opportunities. The match ultimately concluded with a scoreline of 74-72, as the Stallions secured their revenge victory.