Sri Lanka claimed a 72-65 victory over Kyrgyzstan in their FIBA Asia Cup fixture on Thursday. The result sees the visitors leave Bishkek with three points from two matches, while the hosts remain winless after their opening defeat.
Kyrgyzstan found themselves behind early and never quite recovered. They trailed by double figures for much of the second quarter before cutting the gap to seven points in the final period. The visitors held their nerve to seal the win.
For Kyrgyzstan, the loss extends a poor run of form. They went down 69-110 to Palestine two days earlier and have not won since. The task ahead looks increasingly difficult as the group stage takes shape.
Sri Lanka's record is something else again — they beat Maldives 107-65 before that heavy loss to Palestine. The contrast between those two results shows the kind of volatility that can spring a surprise in this tournament.
Both sides face tougher tests as the competition progresses. Kyrgyzstan will need to raise their level quickly, while Sri Lanka must avoid the complacency that cost them against Palestine.