The final phase of the DSTV/NBBF Premier Basketball League jumped off at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos, on Wednesday as Union Bank got off to winning start on the opening day.
Union Bank beat Mark Mentors of Abuja 75-62. Michael Udo led the winners with 19 points and 8 rebounds and Moses Daudu added 14 points 9 rebounds with Victor Okoro adding 5 points.
The Stallion Boys, whose home ground is Lagos, had the partisan crowd behind them from jump ball to the buzzer.
A slow start from their Abuja-based counterparts saw the Coach Okoh-tutored side take a first quarter lead which ended 14-11.
The winners of the Atlantic Conference stepped more on the gas pedal in the second quarter and maintained an 11 point winning margin over Mark Mentors with scores set at 36-25 at half-time.
Union Bank continued from where they left off after the break with a 25-17 run to take a 19 point lead at the end of the third stanza when victory beckoned on the Lagosians, having ended the final break with a 61-42 lead.
The Savannah Conference runners up fought hard in the fourth quarter with a consolatory 20-14 run, pegging down scores at 75-62 at the end of the game, which was not sufficient to overturn the tie.
Union Bank will be up against co-Atlantic team Dodan Warriors on Thursday while Mark Mentors battle regional rivals Kano Pillars.
