Vidya Niketan (Boys) & Bishop Cotton Girls' School win 2nd Bangalore School Basketball League

After weeks of intense competition between some of the best High-School teams in Bangalore city, the squads from Vidya Niketan and Bishop Cotton Girls' School won the 2nd Bangalore School Basketball League on Tuesday, January 31 2012. The finals of the league, organised by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and IMG-Reliance, were held at the Vidya Niketan School in Hebbal, Bangalore. The league was held in association with the Karnataka State Basketball Association (KSBBA).

After only being up by two at halftime, hosts Vidya Niketan began to stretch their lead in the second period in the Boys' final against the squad from Delhi Public School (Bangalore South). A strong effort by Venkatesh of Vidya Niketan helped lift his side to a 59-45 victory. Kedar had 19 points for the losing side.

In the Girls' final, Bishop Cotton got out firing on all quarters from the beginning against Kumaran's Children's Home, holding a 15 point lead at halftime and finally cruising to a 46-30 victory. Bishop Cotton were powered by Lopamudra, one of the best young talents in India, who scored 16 points in the final.

Lopamudra (Girls) and Ventakesh (Boys) were named the best players of the tournament, while further awards were given to Kruthikaran of Bishop Cotton and Kedar for DPS (Bangalore South) as 'Most Promising Players' of the tournament.

For the teams who qualified for the finals of this league, the cash prize was of Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 50,000 for winners and runners-up in each category. Chief Guest K. Govindraj, the President of the Karnataka Olympic Association and Senior Vice President of the BFI distributed the cash awards and prizes.

Final Scores

Girls: Bishop Cotton Girls School (Lopamudra 16) bt. Kumaran's Children's Home (Akshaya 10, Sahana 10) 46-30
Boys: Vidya Niketan School (Venkatesh 25, Samarth 11) bt. Delhi Public School (Bangalore South) (Kedar 19) 59-45

Best Player (Boys): Venkatesh (Vidya Niketan School)
Best Player (Girls): Lopamudra (Bishop Cotton Girls School)
Most Promising Player (Boys): Kedar (DPS - Bangalore South)
Most Promising Player (Girls): Kruthikaran (Bishop Cotton Girls School)