Galle Titans beat Jaffna Stallions 126 to 123 in the Sri Lanka Premier League on Friday evening. The home side took all three points from a match that had everything, and with it moved level on points with the league leaders. By then you could sense the tension building as the final minutes ticked away.
The result tightens the race at the top. Galle Titans sit second on 10 points from eight games, while Jaffna Stallions remain first on 11 points from seven. The hosts now trail by just a single point after extending their recent winning streak to two matches. And here's the thing — this wasn't the first time these sides had met this week.
Just three days earlier on August fifth, Jaffna had won 242 to 228 in what was another high-scoring encounter. Both teams have been involved in some extraordinary affairs lately. Galle Titans saw off Colombo Kings 177 to 176 on Thursday, while Jaffna had won four straight before that defeat.
What makes this result interesting is the pattern. Jaffna Stallions had been on a run of four victories across all competitions before falling to Galle twice in as many days. To be fair, the away side showed character in bouncing back from that first loss, but couldn't quite hold on again.
Galle Titans will feel they've won a crucial one, especially against the team sitting above them. The goal difference now stands at +3 for the hosts compared to Jaffna's +9, but points matter more in a tight league. By then the home crowd had made their presence felt through ninety minutes of closely contested action.