Mekong Tigers were crowned the 2015 Cambodia Basketball League champions after winning the deciding game of the title playoffs 82-80 against Extra Joss Fighters at the Olympic Stadium Indoor Arena on Saturday.

The Tigers got off to a flying start with Matt Van Pelt rolling in some good baskets to put the Fighters under pressure. At the end of the first session, the Tigers led by 20 points.

If the Tigers thought the rest of the journey would be a cruise, they were in for a rude shock.

The Fighters, who had often shown their propensity for rearguard action, staged a superb rally in the third quarter to get within one point of their rivals.

The fourth quarter was as much a battle of wits as it was of nerves but the player who made that vital difference between glory and gloom was none other than Matt Van Pelt, who continued to shoot down the Fighters from long range.

In those baying moments, the Tigers handled the pressure better than their rivals for a deserving win to get into the CBL Scroll of Honour for the first time.