Formidable Western Railway beat Maharashtra 71-55 in a men’s league tie to remain on course in the All India Silver Jubilee Ramu Memorial Basketball Tournament, sponsored by United Phosphorous and ONGC, at the Indian Gymkhana on Thursday.

Playing their fifth match, Western Railway cruised to a significant win to enhance their chances of qualifying for the final in the seven-team league where the top two will make it to the championship round.

Western got off to a quiet start as Maharashtra warmed up by leading the first quarter 21-18. But Western, strong contenders for the title, surged to a 47-27 lead at half-time to take firm control.

Western dominated the third quarter to tighten their grip as Maharashtra made a vain attempt with a late challenge in the fourth quarter, while crashing to their fourth loss in five outings.

Western’s win came back-to-back following their crucial 108-69 win over Chennai Customs in their fourth tie late Wednesday night.

There will be no matches on Friday. The competition will resume with the concluding men’s league ties on Saturday, while the men’s and women’s finals will be held on Sunday.

The matches on Saturday and Sunday will be telecast live on Doordarshan.