Asian Games 2023: Baskar, Matic oversee Indian Basketball teams as they gear up for Hangzhou

S. Baskar coaches the women’s (5x5) team, while Veselin Matic and Baskar oversee the men’s and women’s (3x3) teams.

The Indian basketball team coaches, S. Baskar and Vaselin Matic (right) at The Nehru Indoor Stadium. | Photo Credit: VEDHAN M/THE HINDU

Three Indian basketball teams, one 5x5 (women) and two 3x3 (men & women), have been training at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai for over a month in preparation for the Hangzhou Asian Games. The teams will leave for China on September 23.

S. Baskar coaches the women’s (5x5) team, while Veselin Matic and Baskar oversee the men’s and women’s (3x3) teams. 

Baskar said the team’s training has been going on smoothly. He added that in the camp they have been trying out some new strategies. He insisted the team is a mixture of youth and experience. Playing well, the 57-year-old, said, in the Pool, will be the key to deciding the future course of action.

Indian 5x5 women’s basketball team in action. | Photo Credit: VEDHAN M/THE HINDU

“It’s been a long camp. We first started in July in Chhattisgarh for 20 days and then in Chennai. We have a good combination of juniors and seniors. “We have Indonesia, Mongolia and defending champion China in our group (A). We hope to beat Indonesia and Mongolia. The big team is, of course, China. After that, we will play for classification matches,” he said.

Vaselin Matic, India men’s team coach for 3x3 at the Games, said exposure has been lacking for the Indian players, but hoped they will give it all. He cited the example of Mongolia which has played in almost all possible tournaments in the run-up to the Games.

One of the key players in the Indian men’s 3x3 team, Pranav Prince said a top-three finish is definitely possible in the Games. “We are grouped (C) with China, Macau and Malaysia. If we play according to our potential we can be in the top three,” he said.