Bhavnagar, Gujarat, 20th September 2015:After defending champs Tamil Nadu girls booked a date in the final to face Chhattisgarh, it was the boys’ turn to repeat last year’s performance and make the final again. Standing in their way was the Haryana boys’ side, who came off a thrilling extra time victory against Uttar Pradesh yesterday in their quarterfinal match.
Tamil Nadu started the game well with a strong first quarter, outscoring Haryana 23 to 13. Captain and last year’s MVP P. Baladhaneshwar continued his form into this game, leading from the front for his team. He was ably assisted by teammate G.K. Manikandan on offense. The first half belonged to Tamil Nadu, ending 41-24 in their favour. In the second half, Haryana tried to push for a comeback. Led by Rinku, they managed to cut down the lead to below 15. But in the end, it was too little too late, as Tamil Nadu held on to a 10-point lead to clinch the 72-62 victory and make it to their second final in two years at the Youth National Basketball Championship.
In the other boys’ semi-final, Delhi faced Punjab in a clash of north Indian basketball powerhouses. Delhi came off a close 1-point victory against Kerala in their quarterfinal, while Punjab dominated against Chhattisgarh in their quarterfinal. However, in this game, Delhi was the dominant team. Delhi built a 20-point lead in the first quarter that ended 24 to 4. For the next 3 quarters, it was all about whether Punjab could make a comeback. But they dug themselves too big a hole at the start of the game. Delhi was led by Manik’s 21 points and Hansraj’s 19 points. Punjab’s Abhi Kumar fought valiantly with 22 points, but his effort went in vain. Delhi now will face defending champs Tamil Nadu in the final.
The girls’ third place match was between Maharashtra and Punjab. The Maharashtra girls relied on their India campers Rutuja Pawar, Neha Shahu and Shruti Sherigar to steer them to the victory. Balanced scoring effort from their top players and a strong second half helped Maharashtra clinch the bronze medal at the 32nd Youth National Basketball Championship. For Punjab, Sakshi Sharma was the top scorer with 14 points.
Results from Day 6 up to 5:00 p.m.
Boys’ semi-finals:
Tamil Nadu (P. Baladhaneshwar 23, G.K. Manikandan 20, C. Joshua 15) bt Haryana (Rinku 22, Akshay 13, Ankit Joshi 10) 72-62(23-13, 18-11, 11-10, 20-28)
Delhi (Manik 21, Hansraj 19, Sourav 17) bt Punjab (Abhi Kumar 22, Swapnil Sharma 8) 67-47 (24-4, 10-17, 18-10, 15-16)
Girls third place:
Maharashtra (Rutuja Pawar 17, Neha Vinod Shahu 14, Shruti Sherigar 13) bt Punjab (Sakshi Sharma 14, Lovepreet Kaur 10) 51-42(11-9, 6-11, 15-10, 19-12)
About 32nd Youth National Basketball Championship
The 32nd Youth National Basketball Championship is being conducted in Bhavnagar, Gujarat from 14th to 20th September 2015 by the Gujarat State Basketball Association in association with the Bhavnagar District Basketball Association and the Youngsters Basketball Club, Bhavnagar under the aegis of the Basketball Federation of India.
The tournament shall see the participation of 43 teams from different states, which includes and 22 teams in the boys’ category and 21 teams in the girls’ category, in the ‘16 and under’ age group. Last year’s Youth National Championship was held in Chandigarh. The winners of the 2014 version were Tamil Nadu, in both the boys’ and girls’ categories, while the first runners up position was secured by the boys’ and girls’ teams from Kerala. The third place winner in the boys’ category last year was the team from Haryana. In the girls’ category, the third place winner last year was Karnataka.
This year’s tournament is being held on two outdoor courts at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. KARP Impex Group, involved in the business of diamond polishing, crafting and sale and based out of Surat, Gujarat, is the title sponsor for the event. Other sponsors include Sports Authority of Gujarat, Sheetal Group, Acrysil Limited, Madhu Silica, HVK, Rudra TMX, Mono TMT Bar, Leela Worldwide, Maruti Metal Industries, Priya Blue Industries Private Limited, NavyugPharma Chemical Private Limited, NBM – Iron and Steel Trading Private Limited and Kiran Diamonds.
About Basketball Federation of India
The Basketball Federation of India or BFI is the governing and controlling body of basketball in India, and is responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels. BFI has been involved in conducting camps, clinics, events, and training sessions at its academies for the development of basketball. BFI came into being in 1935 and took complete control over Indian basketball in 1950. Prior to that time, the Indian Olympic Association handled the conduct of Indian basketball championships. Since 1950, the BFI has been conducting various such championships, from the grassroots to senior team participation in international tournaments. In addition, the BFI has been responsible for the establishment of strong sub-junior and junior level programs. The BFI has to its credit produced several international players of repute, among them 17 have been bestowed with the honour of Arjuna Awards. Earlier in June 2015, 19-year-old Satnam Singh Bhamara made history by becoming the first Indian national to be drafted by an NBA team, when he was selected by the Dallas Mavericks. More information at www.basketballfederationindia.org
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