Tribhuvan Army Defeats Golden Gate to Secure Qualifier Spot; Hounds Take Revenge Against Times
Tribhuvan Army Club has secured a place in the Himalayan Java National Basketball League 2026 qualifiers. The Army team currently leads the standings with 25 points, having won 12 out of 13 games, and their top-two finish is assured even if they lose their final game. Organized by the Nepal Basketball Association, the league features eight teams competing for four playoff spots. (21 Chaitra, Kathmandu)
In Saturday’s match, Army defeated Golden Gate Basketball Club 95-88, strengthening their hold on a top-two position with one game remaining and thus qualifying for the first qualifier. Army tops the table with 25 points from 12 wins out of 13 games. Golden Gate follows closely in second with 24 points, having the same win count but two losses. Army’s final game will be against KVC Hounds; even a loss in that match will not affect their spot in the top two.
The game held at Dashrath Rangashala Cover Hall in Tripureshwor saw Golden Gate make an impressive start, leading 30-20 after the first quarter. However, Army bounced back in the second quarter, outscoring Golden Gate 22-17 to take a 47-42 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Army extended their advantage by 22-21 points, increasing the margin to 68-64. Army’s aggressive performance in the fourth quarter helped them overturn the score and ultimately clinch the quarter 31-20. Nischal Maharjan of Army was declared Man of the Match for his highest tally of 29 points.
In another fixture, KVC Hounds avenged their earlier defeat by beating Times Basketball Club 78-68 to register their ninth win. In the league’s earlier phase, Times had defeated Hounds 73-68. Times, who had won ten consecutive games earlier, have now lost their last two matches. With 23 points from 13 games, Times is placed third, while Hounds sit fourth with 22 points from nine wins.
During the Hounds vs. Times game, Hounds built a significant lead of 16 points in the first quarter, with a commanding 23-7 score. Times tried hard to turn things around over the remaining three quarters. The second quarter saw a competitive battle where Times outscored Hounds 23-22, but Hounds maintained a 45-30 lead at halftime. Times secured the third quarter 15-13 and started the final quarter trailing 58-45. Though Times outscored Hounds 23-20 in the last quarter, it was insufficient to level the match. Hounds’ captain Vijay Burja was named Man of the Match, scoring a game-high 28 points.
The eight teams in the HJNBL, organized by the Nepal Basketball Association (NEBA), are competing in a double round-robin format. Only four games remain in the league phase. The top four teams will advance to the playoffs. The playoff structure includes a first qualifier between the 1st and 2nd place teams and an eliminator between the 3rd and 4th place teams. The loser of the first qualifier faces the winner of the eliminator in the second qualifier. The winners of the first and second qualifiers will then clash in the final. The tournament winner will receive a cash prize of NPR 400,000, the runner-up NPR 200,000, and the third-place team NPR 100,000. Additionally, the most valuable player (MVP) award along with attractive prizes will be given to the best performer of the tournament, as stated by NEBA.
