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In a stunning upset, the Chennai Heat toppled the league-leading Hyderabad Falcons 85-82 in a nail-biting showdown at the InBL Pro U25 at the Thyagraj Indoor Stadium on Thursday.
As stated in a release from InBL Pro U25, Jack Stanwix (20) set the tone early, torching the Falcons from deep and giving the Heat a strong lead against a shorthanded Hyderabad squad missing Kushal Singh and Harsh Dagar. Matt Gray (17) kept the Heat in control through three quarters, but Jack Purchase (21) led a furious Falcons comeback in the final minutes. In a frantic finish, the Heat scrambled on defence, holding off the relentless Falcons to clinch a dramatic victory. The first quarter was a high-energy shootout, with the Heat scoring a massive 35 points. Jack Stanwix checked in midway through and wasted no time, draining back-to-back threes to break the deadlock. The Falcons faltered with turnovers and missed shots, while Stanwix stayed locked in, sinking more deep shots and finishing tough at the rim to extend the Heat's lead to 16. The Falcons responded with urgency in the second quarter, pushing the pace as Harry Morris crashed the boards for second-chance points, quickly cutting the lead to seven. Jack Purchase stepped up on both ends, blocking Keith Kiner and delivering key buckets. However, Arvind Kumar and Matt Gray got the buckets rolling for the Heat again to keep a 10-point lead at the end of the quarter. The Falcons came out firing in the third quarter, showing more urgency, but Stanwix refused to cool off, continuing to drain threes for the Heat. Alex Robinson and Jack Purchase muscled their way into the paint, cutting the lead to six. Just when it seemed momentum was shifting, Matt Gray and Arvind Kumar responded with dominant plays inside, pushing the Heat's advantage back to 11 heading into the final stretch. Matt Gray opened the fourth quarter with an electrifying two-handed slam in transition, but the Falcons refused to back down. Jack Purchase answered with a deep three, setting the stage for a thrilling finish. The battle intensified with both teams trading blows, but Gray's clutch three-pointer pushed the Heat's lead back to 15. With their backs against the wall, the Falcons fought relentlessly, forcing turnovers and riding Purchase's heroics to bring the game within a single possession with a minute left. However, the Heat's defence stood tall in the dying moments, swarming the Falcons' last attempts and sealing an unforgettable victory. (ANI)
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