Defending champion Tamil Nadu did not sweat much on its way to an 85-44 win over host Gujarat in a men’s Group A clash of the 69th Senior National basketball championship at the Sidsar Sports complex courts on Sunday.
For the visiting side, it was more of a warm-up game. The team’s chief coach C. V. Sunny knew well it would be an easy affair and decided not to experiment his defensive patterns against the host.
Instead, he tested his bench from the first quarter. He gave them all equal chances on the floor and they did not disappoint.
READ: Senior National basketball: Madhu Kumari stars in Indian Railways win
It was the host which scored the first point. It came off a free throw but from there the Tamil Nadu men took over and finished the first quarter at 23-6.
The crowd cheered every point that the host scored but when it came to Tamil Nadu they watched in stunned silence as its men, especially Sivabalan, Justin Gnanaraj and Hariram, shot baskets from difficult angles with ease. Gujarat looked a shade better in the second quarter.
It managed to double up its points tally but that did not bother Tamil Nadu much, which went full throttle in the last two quarters to seal the contest.
In another clash, hot favourite Punjab came from behind to defeat a fighting Rajasthan 101-80.
Comments
SHARE