2019 Sub-Junior Nationals: Mizoram Boys and Tamil Nadu rise to capture the gold in Cuttack

Sometimes the best thing about basketball is watching a dominant force unleash its dominance, over and over again, executing the game to its most beautiful conclusion. At other times, the joy of the game is in the underdog stories, of surprises, of being witness to a 'Cinderella' run to the title, in David defeating Goliath.

Both these instances were on showcase over the past week at the 46th Sub Junior (U14) National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls, held in Cuttack (Odisha) from September 3-9. Organised by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and the Odisha Basketball Association, the Sub-Junior Nationals featured participation from 24 boys' and 25 girls' teams from around India. At the finals on Monday, Mizoram (Boys) became the 'Cinderella' story, winning the gold, while Tamil Nadu (Girls) captured the top spot after last year's runners-up finish. The championship was held in Cuttack's Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium and the Indoor Complex in Barabati

The girls' final was a rematch of last year's event in Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), with Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra squaring up again in the finals. Maharashtra, the reigning champions, stayed on course on Monday as well, as both teams started with a tie after the first quarter and TN only held a slim, 32-30 lead at halftime. But it was the incredible third period explosion by TN that proved to be the differene, as they outscored Maharashtra 33-13, and then put the nail in the coffin in the fourth to run away with a 85-67 victory. Antheya Daisy of TN was the best individual performer of the day, scoring 31 in the win. Juana Chrisolin added 18 points in TN's winning effort.

The boys' finale featured two very different teams: the favourites, Punjab, who had been dominating every level of the game with their size and athleticism; and the relative newcomers from the basketball-mad northeast state of Mizoram, who had surprised bigger teams en route to the final with their speed and shooting. The neck-to-neck game remained close for three quarters, as Punjab held a slim 35-34 advantage. But it was the Mizos who ended in style, hitting the big baskets and the getting the biggest stops in the fourth quarter to edge away to a 51-46 win, their third in Sub-Junior nationals history. Emmanuel of Mizoram led all scorers with 17 points.

The third-place match-ups of the losing semi-finalists were also held on Monday. In the boys' game, Maharashtra and Haryana went the stretch in a close contest, and the Maha boys eventually sneaked away with a 75-73 victory. Shaik Taufiq scored 26 to pace Maharashtra, while Kaushal of Haryana had a game-high 28.

In the girls' game, Karnataka had an easy ride against Delhi, routing their opponents 56-34 to return home with a bronze medal.

Final Scores

Girls: Tamil Nadu (Antheya Daisy 31, Juana Chrisolin 18) bt. Maharashtra 85-67 [18-18, 14-12, 33-13, 20-22].

Boys: Mizoram (Emmanuel 17) bt. Punjab 51-46 [12-13, 10-8, 12-14, 17-11].
Final Standings

Girls

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Maharashtra
• 3. Karnataka
• 4. Delhi
• 5. Kerala

Boys

• 1. Mizoram
• 2. Punjab
• 3. Maharashtra
• 4. Haryana
• 5. Tamil Nadu

India's National Youth (U16) National Basketball Championship 2019 tips off in Coimbatore

As many as 700 players young Indian basketball players, fresh faces set to be the future of Indian hoops, have gathered in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) this week for the 36th Youth (U16) National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls. The tournament tipped off in Tuesday and is scheduled to be held from May 14-21 at the PSG College of Technology indoor stadium in Coimbatore. It is being organised by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) in association with the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association (TNBA).

In October last year, hosts Rajasthan (Boys) and Punjab (Girls) won the respective golds at the 2018 Youth National Basketball Championship in Udaipur. Rajasthan's Boys will again be among the favourites this year, along with strong units from Maharashtra and hosts Tamil Nadu. For the girls, watch out for all of last year's top three finishers - Punjab, Karnataka, and Maharashtra - to put on a good show.

This year's participating teams are:

Girls
• Level 1 - Group A: Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Delhi.
• Level 1 - Group B: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh.
• Level 2 - Group C: Haryana, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh.
• Level 2 - Group D: West Bengal, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir.
• Level 2 - Group E: Chandigarh, Assam, Jharkhand, Telangana.
• Level 2 - Group F: Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry.

Boys
• Level 1 - Group A: Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi.
• Level 1 - Group B: Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, Chhattisgarh.
• Level 2 - Group C: Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh.
• Level 2 - Group D: Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand.
• Level 2 - Group E: West Bengal, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Telangana.
• Level 2 - Group F: Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Puducherry.

Boys' reigning champions Rajasthan started off their campaign in style on the first day of action, dismantling Delhi with a 85-29 scoreline. Hosts Tamil Nadu stumbled in their first match, losing to Haryana 82-65.

In the girls' division, Punjab began their claim for a repeat title with an exciting 74-69 win over Delhi. Last year's finalists Karnataka defeated Uttar Pradesh 63-36.

You can find the full schedule of games here.

Khelo India Youth Games 2019: Tamil Nadu and Punjab share basketball honours

If the history of recent basketball successes in India are starting to sound repetitive, it's because a couple of the country's strongest hubs seem to have gotten even stronger, fortifying their defences, and now, securing their future. At the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2019 in Pune - a showcase of the best young talent in different age group and gendered events from around the country - Tamil Nadu and Punjab teams qualified for three of the four finals each in the basketball tournament. And after the clinching games at the TT Hall Courts on Saturday, Tamil Nadu won both the U21 golds, while Punjab scored top-place in both the U17 events.

Earlier this month, India's top senior basketball teams took part in the National Championship in Gujarat. In a showcase of the best talent in the country, Punjab won the men's gold medal, while Tamil Nadu took bronze. In the women's event Indian Railways (based in TN) beat the TN state team in the final.

But if the 'Senior Nationals' were a showcase of the present of Indian basketball, the second KIYG were a nod towards its future. In an extended basketball fray to include teams of both U21 and U17 categories, it was the young talent from the same states that showcased that they are ready to stretch this North-South rivalry for many more years.

TN and Punjab faced-off in perhaps the most anticipated of the games on Saturday, the Boys U21 final. Led by Hariram Raghupathy (19) and Arvind Kumar (18), TN turned around a 20-12 first quarter deficit with a dominating second period, and never let their foot off the gas pedal to win 70-59. Ajay Kumar had 21 for Punjab in the loss.

TN's U21 girls repeated the boys' success against Karnataka. While it was a close 45-43 game at halftime TN were able to get into their groove in the second period to win 82-68. Pushpa Senthil Kumar, who was recently named MVP of the Senior Nationals, led all scorers with 27 for TN in the final, while her teammate Dharshani Thirunavukkarasu added 18. Bhandavya Hemmige led Karnataka with 21 and Lopamudra Thimmayam K added 17.

Punjab had the run of the U17 basketball events. In a high-scoring boys' final, Navkaman Singh (28), Rajan (22), Avinder Singh (20) all pitched in to a 91-78 win over Rajasthan. Rajasthan trailed 55-29 at halftime and were able to make up some of their deficit thanks to efforts of Rishab Mathur (30) and Rajveer Bhati (21), but in the end, it wasn't enough.

U17 girls was, once again, Punjab against Tamil Nadu. In a tightly-contested game, Punjab held the advantage but TN remained close on their heels throughout. It was a heroic finale for Punjab's Harsimran Dhami, who exploded for 45 points to keep her squad racing ahead towards a 76-71 win. Sathiya was TN's high scorer with 23

The bronze medal games were also played on Saturday, and in what seemed like almost a coordinated effort, the teams from Kerala swept all four divisions. In the U21 section, high-flyer Sejin Mathew (28) and Muhammed Noushad (22) led the way to a close 79-73 win over hosts Maharashtra. Sameer Qureshi had a team-high 18 for Maharashtra in the loss. Kerala's U21 girls easily beat Uttar Pradesh 60-34 in the women's bronze-medal game, led by Jayalaxmi VJ (27).

Kerala's U17 boys relied on the trio of Aaron Blessen (20), Niyath (17), and Jeoram George (17) to blow past Haryana (Vikrany 21) 71-59 in their bronze medal triumph. Kerala's U17 girls defeated hosts Maharashtra 79-68 to finish third. Akshaya Philip led all scorers with 34 for Kerala while Ann Mary Zachariah added 17. Maharashtra were led by Suzzane Pinto's 21 in the loss.

Final Standings

U21 Men

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Punjab
• 3. Kerala

U21 Women

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Karnataka
• 3. Kerala

U17 Men

• 1. Punjab
• 2. Rajasthan
• 3. Kerala

U17 Women

• 1. Punjab
• 2. Tamil Nadu
• 3. Kerala

Hosts Rajasthan (Boys) and Punjab (Girls) win gold at 2018 Youth National Basketball Championship in Udaipur

The fans expected to defend their home turf, to ensure that local pride was protected, to win a major national basketball championship against some of the best young players in the country. And Team Rajasthan did just that. At the 35th Youth National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls, held in Udaipur, Rajasthan over the past week, India's top youth (under-16) teams showcased their skills and made a name for themselves as rising prospects. When the dust settled after the finals on Sunday, October 7, Rajasthan (Boys) and Punjab (Girls) emerged as champions.

For Rajasthan, the victory was their first gold in the Youth Nationals since 2007. Rajasthan left no room for mistakes in the final, defeating Maharashtra easily 85-54 to secure their victory. Rajasthan's Rajveer Singh scored 26 points in the final and was aided by Jitendra (18) and Rudra Pratap (17).

The girls' final was a closely-contested match that saw Punjab sneak by Karnataka 67-66 to secure the gold medal. Sukhmandeep Kaur led the way for Punjab with 16. The defeat was Karnataka's second-consecutive year of a loss in this tournament's finale. Sanjana scored 24 for Karnataka in the loss.

Tamil Nadu (Boys) and Maharashtra (Girls) finished with bronze medals in their respective divisions.

Rajveer Singh (Rajasthan) and Sukhmandeep Kaur (Punjab) were named the Most Valuable Players in the boys and girls divisions respectively.

Final Standings

Boys

• 1. Rajasthan
• 2. Maharashtra
• 3. Tamil Nadu

Girls

• 1. Punjab
• 2. Karnataka
• 3. Maharashtra

Tamil Nadu Women and Kerala Men win 2018 Junior Nationals in Ludhiana

India's biggest festival of junior (under-18) basketball concluded on Monday, May 14th in spectacular fashion with a couple of southern teams stomping their dominance in a northern stronghold. At the 69th Junior National Basketball Championship for Men and Women in Ludhiana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu (Women) and Kerala (Men) celebrated with the title, after impressive victories in their respective finales.

Organised by the Punjab Basketball Association (PBA) under the aegis of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), the 'Junior Nationals' tipped off at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on Monday, May 7. 28 Men's teams and 24 Women's teams took part in the tournament.

In the Women's final, Tamil Nadu got off to a fast start against their neighbours Kerala, leading by double digits in the first quarter. Another spurt after halftime secured a 77-58 win for TN, helping them retain their title after last year's victory. Aishwary scored 17 for TN in the win.

The men's final was a high-octane, close affair, pitting together Kerala and Rajasthan, last year's silver and bronze medallists respectively, against each other. Rajasthan got off to a fast start and led 52-49 at halftime. Kerala made up for the difference in the third quarter and then stretched their lead to win the game 108-101. Shanazil (29) and Chacko (26) led Kerala's winning efforts, while Rajasthan's young star Rajeev Singh had 40 in the loss and Sumeet added 16.

Hosts Punjab Men got some taste of success on the final day as they grazed by Delhi 97-44 to win the bronze medal, led by Rajan (39) and Jagshanbir (19). Aditya had 27 for Delhi in the loss. Uttar Pradesh Women blew out Karnataka 72-32 to win third place, led by their one-woman wrecking crew Vaishnavi Yadav (53).

Vaishnavi Yadav of UP, who earlier in the tournament had a record 71-point game, was given the women's MVP award. The men's MVP was Rajeev Singh of Rajasthan.

Final Scores

• Women: Tamil Nadu (Aishwary 17, Pratibha 15, Pushpa 14) bt. Kerala(Sreekala 14) 77-58 [21-10, 24-20, 22-14, 10-14].
• Men: Kerala (Shaznil 29, Chacko 26) bt. Rajasthan(Rajeev Singh 40, Sumeet 16) 108-101 [22-28, 27-24, 28-22, 31-27].

Third/Fourth Place

• Women: Uttar Pradesh (Vaishnavi Yadav 53, Kavya 13) bt. Karnataka 72-32 [14-10, 19-7, 17-10, 22-5].
• Men: Punjab (Rajan 39, Jagshanbir 19) bt Delhi (Aditya 27) 97-44 [16-11, 25-11, 29-17, 27-8].

Final Standings

Women

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Kerala
• 3. Uttar Pradesh
• 4. Karnataka
• 5. Maharashtra

Men

• 1. Kerala
• 2. Rajasthan
• 3. Punjab
• 4. Delhi
• 5. Uttar Pradesh

Rajasthan (Boys) and Tamil Nadu (Girls) win 2017 Sub Junior Nationals in Didwana, Rajasthan

The annual gathering of India's finest, youngest national-level basketball players - the 44th Sub Junior National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls - came to a conclusion in Didwana, Rajasthan, on Saturday, October 14 with some celebrations for the home side. Rajasthan boys got sweet vengeance in the final over Madhya Pradesh, who had defeated them in last year's final. Tamil Nadu girls also upset Chattisgarh's hopes of retaining their 2016 title with a final win earlier in the day.

The Sub-Junior Nationals - also known as the "minis" - featured 30 boys' teams and 24 girls' teams in the U14 age group from various Indian States and Union territories competing from October 8-14 this year at Didwana's Bangour College Stadium. The Championship was organised by the Rajasthan Basketball Association under the aegis of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).

Madhya Pradesh boys, the winners from last year, came into the finals with hopes of adding another jewel in their crown. But backed by an enthusiastic home crowd, Rajasthan came out fired up, taking a 28-17 lead in the first quarter and extending the game to a blowout by the end of the third. Prashant (28) and Lokendra (21) led Rajasthan to an impressive 87-59 win and a gold medal. MP were led by Rishikesh's 16 points.

The girls' final was a close, fast-paced game, where Tamil Nadu's rising star Sathya stole the show, dropping 43 points for her squad. Chattisgarh, looking to repeat their 2017 win, were leading 37-29 at halftime, but a 39-22 third quarter run by TN turned the scores around, and TN held on the final period to win 88-81. Kirti (24) and Ruksar (18) led the way for Chhattisgarh in the loss.

Earlier in the day, Chhattisgarh's boys defeated Uttar Pradesh to secure the bronze medal. The girls' 3rd-place game was won by Maharashtra, who defeated the host team Rajasthan.

Final Scores

• Boys: Rajasthan (Prashant 28, Lokendra 21) bt Madhya Pradesh (Rishikesh 16, Bhagat 14) 87-59 [28-17, 7-10, 31-18, 21-14].
• Girls: Tamil Nadu (Sathya 43) bt Chhattisgarh (Kirti 24, Ruksar 18) 88-81 [18-18, 11-19, 39-22, 20-22].

Final Standings

Boys

• 1. Rajasthan
• 2. Madhya Pradesh
• 3. Chhattisgarh
• 4. Uttar Pradesh
• 5. Punjab

Girls

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Chhattisgarh
• 3. Maharashtra
• 4. Rajasthan
• 5. Karnataka

Youth Nationals 2017: Tamil Nadu (Girls) and Punjab (Boys) win gold in Hyderabad

A month ago, Tamil Nadu's Girls and Punjab's Boys rose among the best under-18 talents in the country to win the Junior Nationals gold in Puducherry. This week, it was deja vu of their younger sisters and brothers, as the two states repeated their incredible feat at the under-16 level, too.

Two of India's most-famed factories of young basketball talent - Tamil Nadu and Punjab - continued to stamp their authority at the game's youth level when both emerged as victors at the 34th Youth (U16) National Basketball Championship for Men and Women in Hyderabad. The eight-day tournament concluded at the famed Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad with the finals between the top remaining squads in the country on Saturday, July 8.

Tipping off on July 1st in Hyderabad, the 'Youth Nationals' were organised by the Hyderabad District Basketball Association (HDBA) under the aegis of the Telangana Basketball Association and the Basketball Federation of India (BFI). The prestigious championship featured 26 boys' and 25 girls' teams from all across the country.

This year's tournament marked a special high-point for Tamil Nadu's Girls, who have now won four consecutive gold medals at this event and played in five straight finals. In the final, TN clashed against Karnataka, who were India's U18 champions last year and, like TN, reached the final stage undefeated. With a fast start where they took a 14-point first-half lead, however, TN assured their intent of keeping their names on the trophy. Led by the duo of Monica Jayaseeli (23) and Pushpa (20), TN's first half helped secure a 70-53 victory and yet another impressive title. Reshma Ramesh scored 18 for Karnataka in the loss.

Despite being the training ground for so many of India's top players, Punjab hadn't made it to the medal rounds of the Youth Nationals since 2013. This year, however, they fielded a stacked up featuring young phenom Princepal Singh. In the final they faced a surprising Madhya Pradesh side who had risen dramatically from Level 2 to reach the podium stage. But what was supposed to be a blowout turned out to be a closely-contested matchup, as MP's talented wing players helped to neutralise the damage Princepal did in the inside. In a back and forth game where both teams exchanged leads throughout, it eventually ended up being clutch free throws made by Princepal in the game's last 20 seconds that helped secure a 80-77 victory for Punjab. Princepal ended up with 25 points on the day while Rajan (18) and Harsimranjit Singh (16) aided his cause in the win. MP's star player Divyaraj Singh Rathore scored 28 while his teammate Udayveer Yadav added 20.

For the prize and souvenir distribution ceremony, G Kishan Reddy (MLA & Floor Leader, BJLP, Telangana) was the chief guest and Dr V Ragothaman was the guest of honour. MVP awards given to Karnataka's Sanjana Ramesh (Girls) & Punjab's Princepal Singh (Boys). Princepal, you may recall is the same Punjabi youngster who last year won a $75,000 scholarship from the Spire Institute to train in USA. The BFI gave additional 'Most Promising Player' awards to Telangana's Arya Sreeramaneni (Girls) and MP's Divyaraj Singh Rathore (Boys).

The third/fourth place matchups were also held on Saturday. Last year's finalists Kerala defeated a strong Uttar Pradesh side 58-67, led by An Mariya Johny (17) and Ann Mary Zachariah (16). In the men's game, Andhra Pradesh capped off an unlikely surge in this year's tournament with a nail-biting victory over Haryana, 72-68. A Sai Pavan scored 21 for the winning side, assisted by SVV Sai Krishna's 17. Haryana were led by Anil (20), Mukesh (17), and Kapil Mor (17).

Final Scores

• Girls: Tamil Nadu (Monica Jayaseeli 23, Pushpa 20) bt Karnataka (Reshma Ramesh 18) 70-53 [18-14, 19-9, 16-14, 17-16].
• Boys: Punjab (Princepal Singh 25, Rajan 18, Harsimranjit Singh 16) bt Madhya Pradesh (Divyaraj Singh Rathore 28, Udayveer Yadav 20) 80-77 [19-18, 19-19, 20-21, 22-19].

Third/Fourth Place

• Girls: Kerala (An Mariya Johny 17, Ann Mary Zachariah 16) bt Uttar Pradesh 58-47 [16-7, 9-7, 17-13, 16-20].
• Boys: Andhra Pradesh (A Sai Pavan 21, SVV Sai Krishna 17) bt Haryana (Anil 20, Mukesh 17, Kapil Mor 17) 72-68 [15-16, 14-21, 25-11, 18-20].

Final Standings

Girls

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Karnataka
• 3. Kerala
• 4. Uttar Pradesh
• 5. Chhattisgarh

Boys

• 1. Punjab
• 2. Madhya Pradesh
• 3. Andhra Pradesh
• 4. Haryana
• 5. Uttar Pradesh

Tamil Nadu (Girls) and Punjab (Boys) win 2017 Junior National Basketball Championship

In the outskirts of the national capital New Delhi, hundreds of the best junior basketball players from all over India converged to take part in a major national tournament that would forever be linked to their legacies. A number of these young talents will go on to play major roles for India's senior basketball teams in the near future. In Greater Noida this past week, the two finest squads - Tamil Nadu Girls and Punjab Boys - rose above the rest and claimed gold at the 68th Junior National Basketball Championship.

The Junior Nationals were held at Greater Noida's Shiv Nadar University from June 4-11, featuring 25 men's teams and 24 women's teams from the U18 age group from around India. The finals of this competitive tournament were held on Sunday, June 11.

In the girls' final, last year's silver-medalists Tamil Nadu faced off against an upstart Uttar Pradesh team, who had reached this stage for the first time in their history. UP weren't satisfied with just a seat at the table: they started the final with purpose to upset TN and take the gold, and build a 34-26 lead at halftime. UP's Vaishnavi Yadav, one of the best young stars of the tournament, scored a game-high 41 in the finale. After the break, however, TN finally pushed their offense into higher gear, breaking into a 20-9 third-quarter run that changed the fortune of the game. TN's center S. Pushpa dominated the post for 25 points and helped her team win the gold 69-63.

In the boys final, Punjab faced Kerala, the latter who were hoping to turn around their final lost from last year in Puducherry. These were the two strongest teams in the tournament and featured some fantastic matchups. On the backs of Mandeep Singh (33) and Gurvinder Singh (27), Punjab were just more motivated as the game tipped off, racing off to a 22-12 first quarter lead. Kerala had numerous contributors from their talented roster, including Md Shiraj (22), Joshua George (20), and Amal Reghu (16) but they couldn't stop Punjab's athleticism and energy, particularly in the second half. Punjab won the game 100-82.

The third place playoffs were also held on Sunday among the teams that lost in the semi-final stage a day earlier. In the men's game, Rajasthan broke a tightly-contested matchup after halftime to defeat Tamil Nadu 75-68, led by 36 points by Rajeev Kumar. Sheldin Rashan (18) and Arvind Kumar M (16) were the leaders for TN. Kerala's starlet Sreekala R scored 42 points to help her side win third-place over Karnataka in a 68-52 win.

The winners received Rs 1,00,000/-, first runners up received Rs 75,000/- while the second runners up got Rs 50,000/-. Guests present at the finals included Archana Ramasundaram, DG of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Chander Mukhi Sharma, Secretary General of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), Seema Sharma, President, UP Basketball Association (UPBA), Alok Sharma, Additional Director General, Sashastra Seema Bal and patron of the UPBA, and Bhupendra Shahi, Hon. Secretary, UPBA.

Final Scores

• Girls: Tamil Nadu (S Pushpa 25, M Nishanthi 15) bt Uttar Pradesh (Vaishnavi Yadav 41) 69-63 (16-20, 10-14, 20-9, 23-20).
• Boys: Punjab (Mandeep Singh 33, Gurwinder Singh 27) bt Kerala (Md Shiraj 22, Joshua George 20, Amal Reghu 16, Sejin Mathew 14) 100-82 (22-12, 20-23, 29-21, 29-26).

Third Place Playoffs

• Girls: Kerala (Sreekala R 42) bt Karnataka 68-52 (10-9, 22-18, 21-18, 15-17).
• Boys: Rajasthan (Rajeev Kumar 36, Ashish Trivedi 15) bt Tamil Nadu (Sheldin Rashan 18, Arvind Kumar M 16, Shanmugam M 13) 75-68 (18-18, 11, 24, 20-12, 26-14).

Final Standings

Girls

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Uttar Pradesh
• 3. Kerala
• 4. Karnataka
• 5. Chhattisgarh

Boys

• 1. Punjab
• 2. Kerala
• 3. Rajasthan
• 4. Tamil Nadu
• 5. Haryana

Diary allegedly belonging to BFI president K Govindraj details payoffs of hundreds of crores

As we have learnt over and over again, there is no escaping the weight of politics in Indian sports. Occasionally, basketball has found some infamy in the Indian political conversation, too.

Earlier this week, several media houses reported news of the so-called "Donation Gate", a controversy that was spurred up from a secret diary allegedly found at the residence of Karnataka's Legislative Council MLC of the Congress Party, K. Govindraj. Govindraj's diary was seized during an Income Tax raid of several politicians a few months ago. It was only recently, however, that news leaked that this diary contained suspicious entries detailing payoffs of money passing hands in payoffs of hundreds of crores.

Govindraj is known as an important legislator in the state and a major fundraiser for Congress.

Why is this news important on a basketball blog? Well, because this is the same Govindraj who happens to the president of ruling executive committee of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), running much of its operations from Bengaluru. He is also the president of Karnataka Olympic Association.

Here are more details of this case, including the diary entries and Govindraj's response, as written by Navika Kumar on The Times of India:

The secret diary No. AKG03 speaks of a staggering Rs 600 crore routed to mysterious names like AICC, AP, M Vora, SG office, RG office and DGS. The diary also has an entry under steel bridge from where Rs 65 crore was marked as received. There is one entry which shows Rs 7 crore being paid to media for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections. The income tax department had called in Govindraj for questioning about the entries on February 11, 2017.
Govindraj claimed the handwriting isn't his and the signatures were forged. The Congress, too, has claimed the diary is fake and an attempt to malign them, while the BJP has called for a detailed investigation into it.

Govindraj disowned the diary almost a year ago, reports The Hindu.

Congress leaders pointed out (quoting the statement recorded during the inquiry) that Mr. Govindaraj had told the I-T sleuths during questioning repeatedly that the diary did not belong to him. He had also filed a complaint with the Indiranagar police on March 21, 2016, suspecting that the “mysterious diary” was “planted” in his house by some unknown persons with “malicious intent”.
“Mr. Govindaraj had disowned the diary not now, but almost a year ago throughout the course of the inquiry. So the leakage by whatever source amounts to breach of trust by the Income Tax Department,” said Congress spokesperson and MLC V.S. Ugrappa.

Only future investigation will reveal the truth behind the diary and the consequences - if any - for Govindraj. As usual, the rest of us of the Indian Basketball fraternity will be hoping that the controversy doesn't spill over to mar the sport itself.

Tamil Nadu Girls and Kerala Boys are 2016 Youth Nationals Champions in Hassan

It is a rare occurrence when both the boys' and girls' teams of the same state in India peak at the same time, but that was exactly the case with three states - Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh - over the past week in Hassan (Karnataka). All three states finished in the top three in both divisions at India's largest under-16 hoops meet, the 33rd Youth National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls. The tournament concluded with the finals on Saturday, November 26th, as Tamil Nadu (Girls) and Kerala (Boys) won the last games of the week and emerged as champions at the city's Hasanamba Indoor Stadium

Organised by the Karnataka State Basketball Association (KSBBA) under the auspices of the BFI, the 2016 Youth Nationals featured 24 boys teams and 22 girls teams in the eight day tournament. Last year's washout had led the BFI to declare all the finalists as champions, so both the boys' and girls' divisions had two reigning champions each: Tamil Nadu and Delhi (Boys) and Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh (Girls).

This year, Tamil Nadu's Girls had an opportunity for sole ownership of the winner's trophy when they faced Kerala in the final. The only two undefeated teams thus far, Kerala and TN went toe to toe for the first two quarters of the game, and Kerala held on to a slim, 37-35 lead at halftime. TN turned things around drastically after the break, and took over the game: dominant efforts by Avanthi Vardhan (17) and S Pushpa (17) helped TN take a lead and stretch it to double digits, eventually to an impressive 82-66 victory. Shreekala R scored a game-high 27 to pace Kerala's efforts.

Kerala had better luck in the boys' final against Uttar Pradesh, where they turned a slow start into a dominant, blowout win. UP led 18-16 at the end of the first quarter, but it was all Kerala after that. Amal Reghu exploded for 33 points while Chacko C Simon (19) and Sejin Mathew (16) made valuable contributions to help Kerala win 85-51. UP's duo of Priyanshu and Bhagyansh Gulati scored 21 each, but they lot little offensive contribution from the rest of their squad in the loss.

Uttar Pradesh will go home happy, however, because in addition to securing silver in the boys' tournament, they won a bronze medal earlier on Saturday when their girls' team - led by the unstoppable Vaishnavi Yadav - blew out Madhya Pradesh 71-39. Yadav, a rising basketball star from the state, scored 39, matching MP's entire box score! Divyani Gangwal had 22 for MP. The boys' bronze medal game also was not a particularly close affair. After a high-scoring, tight first quarter (26-26), Tamil Nadu revved up their engines with the help of their duo M Arvind Kumar (30) and K Surya (23) to win 99-69. The Tomar brothers - Pratyanshu (22) and Prashant (16) - led the way for the hosts Karnataka.

The top three teams in both sections awarded cash prizes of Rs 75,000/-, Rs 50,000/- and Rs 25,000/- respectively. Numerous Karnataka State Ministers and Kannada actor/former MP Ramya (Divya Spandana) were present in the final. Karnataka's U18 girls' team - winners of the 2016 Junior Nationals in Puducherry - were felicitated.

Final Scores

• Girls: Tamil Nadu (Avanthi Vardhan 17, S Pushpa 17, T Dharshini 13) bt Kerala (Shreekala R 27, Olivia Shaibu 13) 82-66 [16-18, 19-19, 21-11, 26-18].
• Boys: Kerala (Amal Reghu 33, Chacko C Simon 19, Sejin Mathew 16) bt Uttar Pradesh (Priyanshu 21, Bhagyansh Gulati 21) 85-51 [16-18, 26-15, 26-10, 17-8].

Third/Fourth Place

• Girls: Uttar Pradesh (Vaishnavi Yadav 39) bt Madhya Pradesh (Divyani Gangwal 22) 71-39 [10-8, 21-10, 26-13, 14-8].
• Boys: Tamil Nadu (M Arvind Kumar 30, K Surya 23, T Prathap 15) bt Karnataka (Pratyanshu Tomar 22, Prashant Tomar 16, Srujan BK 13) 99-69 [26-26, 28-14, 22-20, 23-9].

Final Standings

Girls

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Kerala
• 3. Uttar Pradesh
• 4. Madhya Pradesh
• 5. Maharashtra

Boys

• 1. Kerala
• 2. Uttar Pradesh
• 3. Tamil Nadu
• 4. Karnataka
• 5. Rajasthan

2016 Youth National Championship for U16 boys and girls to tip off in Hassan (Karnataka)

Last September, heavy rainfall and controversy behind the organization marred India's premier national U16 basketball tournament - the Youth Nationals - in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. Now, over a year later, the tournament is back, a little later in the year, heading further south to Karnataka, and with hopes from the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to purge the memories of the past and launch the new, young stars of Indian basketball.

The 33rd Youth National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls is set to tip off in the city of Hassan in Karnataka on Saturday, November 19th. Organised by the Karnataka State Basketball Association (KSBBA) under the auspices of the BFI, 2016 Youth Nationals will feature 24 boys teams and 22 girls teams are in the eight day tournament. Last year's washout led the BFI to declare all the finalists as champions, so both the boys' and girls' divisions will be competed for between two reigning champions each: Tamil Nadu and Delhi (Boys) and Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh (Girls).

In a KSBBA press conference at the Century Club in Bengaluru on Wednesday, the BFI President and KSBBA secretary K Govindraj announced the tournament which will include, as usual, accommodation and catering for over eight hundred players, coaches, referees, officials, and invitees to the event. The matches will be conducted at three venues - the indoor and outdoor courts of the Hasanamba Stadium and the courts of the Malnad College of Engineering.

Participating Teams

Boys

• Level 1: Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh.
• Level 2: Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Puducherry, Uttarakhand, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tripura.

Girls

• Level 1: Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh.
• Level 2: Delhi, Odisha, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Telangana, Gujarat, Bihar, Uttarakhand.

The inauguration ceremony for the 2016 Youth Nationals is scheduled to start at 4:15 PM on Saturday at the Hasanamba Stadium in Hassan. A Manju, the Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sericulture and also District In-Charge of Hassan and Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of Fisheries and Karnataka's Dept. of Youth Empowerment and Sports, will be the chief guests at the event.

Philippines' Blackwater Elite win 2016 Chief Minister Cup in Penang; India's Karnataka finish 5th

With a dominant final win over the host side, Philippines' Blackwater Elite won the 3rd Penang Chief Minister Cup International Basketball Championship in Penang, Malaysia at the Han Chiang Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, June 7. India's representative at the tournament - Karnataka - finished 5th out of the six teams.

Photo via Fox Sports Asia

The Penang Chief Minister Cup is an invitational championship in Malaysia for club/state teams from various Asian countries. This year, the tournament featured a team each from Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, China, Chinese Taipei, and India. The Men's tournament was held from June 3-7.

Led by a stacked roster of contributors, Blackwater easily defeated host squad Malaysia Dragons in the tournament's final on Tuesday, 95-42. Blackwater held a slim eight-point lead at halftime but a third quarter explosion helped them seal the game and complete a perfect 5-0 sweep in the tournament.

India's representatives were the state team from Karnataka, who had added a few star players from Tamil Nadu to boost their squad. Led by Coach G Dilip, Karnataka featured talents like Arvind Arumugam, Rajesh Uppar, Aravind A., and Akilan Pari.

Karnataka's tournament ended with a close, 84-80 loss in the final game to Thailand's PEA Basketball Club. Despite an early lead, Karnataka let PEA take advantage after slipping in the second quarter, and a late comeback wasn't enough for Karnataka to register their second win in Malaysia. Arumugam (32) and Aravind (18) led the way for Karnataka in the loss. They finished the tournament with a 1-4 record at fifth place.

Karnataka's Chief Minister Cup results:

• Day 1: Malaysia Dragons (Malaysia) 82 - Karnataka 67.
• Day 2: Zhejiang Golden Bulls (China) 119 - Karnataka 49.
• Day 3: Karnataka 96 - Chien Hsin University of Science and Technology (Chinese Taipei) 87.
• Day 4: Blackwater Elite (Philippines) 113 - Karnataka 70.
• Day 5: PEA Basketball Club (Thailand) 84 - Karnataka 80.

Karnataka Men's basketball team in Malaysia for 3rd Penang Chief Minister Cup

Karnataka State's Men's basketball team will represent India at the 3rd Penang Chief Minister Cup International Basketball Championship, set to be held from June 3-7 at the Han Chiang Indoor Stadium in Penang (Malaysia). The championship will feature six teams from six different Asian countries. Karnataka took part in this championship last year and finished fourth out of the six squads.

This year, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has ensured that Karnataka sends a power-packed squad, which includes international stars Arvind Arumugam and Rajesh Uppar from the state as well as two international players from Chennai - Aravind A and Akilan Pari - who were given permission to join Team Karnataka by the BFI.

The participating teams in the 3rd Penang Chief Minister Cup are:

• Malaysia Dragons (Malaysia)
• Zhejiang Golden Bulls (China)
• Chien Hsin University of Science & Technology (Chinese Taipei)
• Karnataka State (India)
• PEA Basketball Club (Thailand)
• Blackwater Elite (Philippines)

Penang Basketball Association president Ooi Khoon Yeong added that basketball clinics would be conducted at selected schools by foreign coaches to mark the tournament.

Karnataka's Coach G Dilip, who played for India's 1980 Olympics Basketball team, told to Ekalavyas that the team was ready to prove their credentials. "The boys have trained well and I am sure they will perform very well," he said.

Karnataka Roster for 3rd Penang Chief Minister Cup

• Arvind Arumugam (Vijaya Bank)
• Rajesh Uppar (Vijaya Bank)
• Roby Thomas (Vijaya Bank)
• Karthickeyan S (Vijaya Bank)
• Ganesh S Gowda (Forest Sports Board)
• Chethan Kumar (Beagles)
• Mufeez Ahmed (Sports Hostel, Bangalore)
• Abhishek (NGV)
• Shivaraj Kumar (IBBC)
• Prajwal Shetty (Beagles)
• Aravind A (IOB)
• Akilan Pari (Income Tax)
• Head Coach: G Dilip

Tamil Nadu (Boys) and Karnataka (Girls) become 2016 Junior Nationals champions in Puducherry

The finest young basketball talent in India came under the same umbrella to Puducherry for the 2016 Junior National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls, and the tournament concluded with victories for Tamil Nadu (Boys) and Karnataka (Girls), who both pulled off impressive finals victories at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Sunday. TN's Girls lost in the finals to Karnataka, while TN Boys beat Kerala.

The tournament was organized by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and the Puducherry Basketball Association. TN Boys were winners in last year's Junior Nationals in Ludhiana, while Chhattisgarh Girls beat Karnataka in the Final.

In the Girls' final, both the teams came to the occasion prepared and were neck and neck at the end of the first quarter. Both the teams were playing zone defense and their respective shooters maximized on the opportunities and were able to score from behind the arc. Tamil Nadu led, 16-14, after the first ten minutes. The intensity changed in the second quarter as Karnataka shifted to man to man defense and were able to stop the three pointers of Tamil Nadu. In the third quarter, Karnataka took a huge lead as their pressure defense forced the Tamil Nadu players into many turnovers. The turnover led to easy transition baskets, many of which were converted by its senior international star Bhandavya (28). In the fourth quarter, Karnataka maintained its double digit lead despite Tamil Nadu switching to a full court press in desperation. Karnataka overcome their loss in last year's final to win 64-44.

In the first quarter of the boys' final between TN and Kerala, TN's first quarter performance set the tone for the game. TN opened the game with a 23-16 advantage, as their stars Hari Ram (29) and P. Baladhaneshwar (19) leading the way. TN kept a composed lead to take a 43-35 advantage by halftime, and continued to match every spurt by Kerala with one of their own. Despite strong performances by the Kerala duo of Md Shiras (23) and Prem (22), TN moved on to win 88-77.

BFI President K Govindaraj was the chief guest for the prize distribution ceremony. Aadhav Arjuna, Chairman of the Organizing Committee & Managing Director of Arise Industries & Agency Pvt. Ltd. was the guest of honour. Dr T Sundararajan, the principal of Pondicherry Engineering College presided over the ceremony, with V Rajasekar, Managing Director, Raman Roadways felicitating the guests. Other dignitaries overseeing the ceremony included Rev Fr MS John Bosco, President-PBA and Dr V Ragothaman, Honorary Secretary-PBA.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Boys secured third place with a hard-fought win over Haryana, 77-72. Vishal scored 17 for Delhi. The Girls' bronze medal game was a classic encounter, too, as Shruti scored 27 points to help Maharashtra edge away for a 60-58 win against Chhattisgarh.

A day earlier, Chhattisgarh, last year's Girls' champions, were beaten in overtime in the semi-final by an incredible late comeback by Tamil Nadu, 63-57. Avanti scored 18 for TN, edging ahead of Chattisgarh's Riya Verma's 17. In the second girls' semi-final, Karnataka's Bhandavya HM led the way with 24 to help her team beat Maharashtra 73-63. Shreema had 16 for the losing side.

Both the boys' semi-finals were neck-to-neck clashes that were only decided in the final moments of the games. Prem scored 28 for Kerala as his team outscored Delhi 35-15 in the final quarter and pull off a shock 72-68 victory. Rachit (18) and Vishal (17) led thew way for Delhi. In the other boys' semi-final, TN's trio of Hari Ram (32), Daniel (20), and Baladhaneshwar (17) helped their team beat Haryana 83-79. Haryana's top scorers were Sonu (18) and Deepak (17).

Finals

• Boys: Tamil Nadu (Hari Ram 29, P. Baladhaneshwar 19) bt Kerala (Shiras 23, Prem 22) 88-77 [23-16, 20-19, 18-17, 27-25].
• Girls: Karnataka (Bhandavya HM 29) bt Tamil Nadu 64-44 [14-16, 19-9, 19-3, 12-16].

Bronze Medal Games

• Boys: Delhi (Vishal 17, Hasraj 14) bt Haryana (Sonu Kumar 14) 77-72 [11-12, 20-17, 20-20, 26-23].
• Girls: Maharashtra (Shruti 27, Neha 15) bt Chhattisgarh (Vaniana 15, Gulabsha 14) 60-58 [10-13, 16-15, 11-9, 23-21].

Final Standings

Boys

• 1. Tamil Nadu
• 2. Kerala
• 3. Delhi
• 4. Haryana
• 5. Punjab

Girls

• 1. Karnataka
• 2. Tamil Nadu
• 3. Maharashtra
• 4. Chhattisgarh
• 5. Kerala

2016 Junior (U18) National Basketball Championship tips off in Puducherry

There must be something in the fishes - or something fishy - out in Puducherry.

For the second time in the past four months, the traveling Indian basketball brigade returns to the union territory at India's south-western tip. Organized by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and the Puducherry District Basketball Association, the 67th Junior National Championship for Boys and Girls tipped off in Puducherry on Sunday May 1, 2016 at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium. The tournament, featuring 48 combined teams in both sexes, is India's premier competition for U-18 basketball stars and will be held until its finale on May 8.

The tournament marks the BFI's unexpectedly early return to Puducherry, after the region hosted the 2016 Sub-Jr National Championship back in February.

26 boys teams and 22 girls teams are participating this year, with matches being played on one indoor court and three outdoor courts. The tournament is played on a league cum knockout basis, with as many as 128 matches played from early morning till late night. In the league stages, all teams within each group play against each other, and the top teams qualify to the knockout stages. Last year in the boys section, Tamil Nadu, and in the girls section Chhattisgarh, were crowned champions in Ludhiana.

The participating teams in the 2016 Junior Nationals are:

Boys

• Group A: Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Kerala, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh.
• Group B: Punjab, Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh.
• Group C: Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat, West Bengal.
• Group D: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand.
• Group E: Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Mizoram, Tripura.
• Group F: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Puducherry, Telangana.

Girls

• Group A: Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh.
• Group B: Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan.
• Group C: Delhi, Goa, Jharkhand.
• Group D: West Bengal, Chandigarh, Puducherry.
• Group E: Gujarat, Bihar, Telangana.
• Group F: Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand.

Chhattisgarh girls began their title defense on the right foot, surviving in a close matchup against Tamil Nadu 59-58. An impressive second quarter run saw Chhattisgarh take a small lead into halftime, and they extended their lead to 48-42 before the start of the final quarter. But TN played desperate trap and man-on-on defense to make a huge fourth quarter comeback to take a two point lead in the game's last to minutes. Clutch baskets and close-out defense by Chhattisgarh saw them regain their lead and survive for a one-point win. Vandana (19) and Riya (16) led the way for Chhattisgarh, while Ishwarya scored 17 for TN in the loss. Last year's girls' silver-medalists Karnataka started off their tournament with a bang, destroying Rajasthan 69-20.

Boys' champs Tamil Nadu played in a close, high-caliber opening game against Kerala. The two teams traded baskets and leads throughout the course of the game. With the game tied in the closing moments, Kerala’s Prem Prakash used his length to intercept a loose ball, leading to a fast-break lay-up that turned into the game-winner. Tamil Nadu had a chance to tie the game with two free throws at the final whistle, but Hari Ram (22) missed both to hand Kerala the 83-81 win. Muhamed Siras scored 24 for Kerala in the win. In another Level 1 boys' game, M. Aly scored 24 to help Rajasthan overcome Uttar Pradesh 56-46.

Final Scores

Boys

• Rajasthan (M. Aly 24) bt Uttar Pradesh (Lav Singh 14) 56-46 [12-16, 13-12, 21-11, 10-7].
• Kerala (Muhamed Siras 24) bt Tamil Nadu (Hari Ram 22, Bala Dhaneshwar 14) 83-81 [15-13, 18-22, 25-22, 25-24].
• Mizoram (Lalfakzula 34) bt Tripura (Akshay 27) 75-74 [13-21, 20-22, 17-14, 25-17].

Girls

• Kerala bt Uttar Pradesh 45-12 [12-3, 5-3, 11-2, 17-4].
• Karnataka (Bhandavya 13) bt Rajasthan 69-20 [20-10, 13-2, 20-7, 16-1].
• Chhattisgarh (Vandana 19, Riya 16) bt Tamil Nadu (Ishwarya 17, Nishanti 13) 59-58 [14-18, 14-7, 20-17, 11-16].

Madhya Pradesh (Boys) and Chhattisgarh (Girls) win India's 2016 Sub-Junior Basketball Championship in Puducherry

The best of India's under-14 basketball talent got together on the same platform in Puducherry for a week of exciting hoops at the 2016 National Basketball Championship for Sub-Junior Boys and Girls from February 2-8. The 42nd edition of this long-running event came to an end with two closely-contest final games on Monday, February 8th. Madhya Pradesh's boys retained their title with a heart-thumping overtime victory while Chhattisgarh Girls bounced back from their final loss at the tournament's previous edition to claim top spot again.

Organized the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), the 'Sub-Jr Nationals' were held at Puducherry's Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium. A total of 23 boys' teams and 27 girls' teams from around India participated.

Chhattisgarh returned to the girls' final with an aim to recapture their spot at the top of the podium after losing to Kerala in the final at Nashik 15 months ago. Facing a strong Tamil Nadu side, Chhattisgarh started the final contest on Monday in style, rolling to a 21-8 lead early in the first quarter. While their shots were falling off, TN played tough defense to close the gap after halftime and make it just a seven point game before the final period. Behind the efforts of Elizabeth Ekka (24 points), Chhattisgarh were able to hold on to a 54-48 win and celebrate as champions. Pavithra Sree led TN with 16 in the loss.

The boys finale pitted the tournament's two best teams - Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh - against each other, and the close finish showed that the two neighbouring states had little to separate them on court, too. The final was a repeat of the tournament's previous edition, where MP had defeated Chhattisgarh in a high-scoring game to win the gold. On Monday, it was Chhattisgarh who got started off on the right foot, with hopes to overturn their bitter loss last time and double up on the success of their girls' team. In a defensive contest, Chhattisgarh held on to a 31-20 lead at halftime. But the halftime break seemed their opponents the boost they needed, and MP turned the tables on Chhattisgarh by making a big comeback to take the lead. Chhattisgarh equalized the game in the last 10 seconds of regulation at 53-53, and when time expired, the game went into overtime. MP, fueled by their second-half momentum, separated themselves from their rivals in the five extra minutes to repeat as champions, 64-59. The duo of Jeet Kharwar (21) and Brijesh Tiwari (19) walked home as the most valuable performers in the final for the winning side.

Earlier in the day, the fight for the bronze medal took place in the girls’ and boys’ categories. In the girls' 3rd place match, Maharashtra comfortably defeated Madhya Pradesh 63-36 to capture the bronze medal. In the boys’ category, Rajasthan clinched 3rd place defeating Uttar Pradesh in a close game 71-66. Despite a few late mistakes, Rajasthan held on to their slim lead to close out the game and take home the bronze medal. Rajveer’s 21 points were crucial for Rajasthan. UP's Priyanshu put up a game-high 25 points in a losing effort, while Aniket added 16.

The winning teams were awarded a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 each, while the runners up were awarded Rs. 30,000 each. The third placed teams received a cash prize of Rs. 20,000 each.

A day earlier, Chhattisgarh girls were made to sweat till the very end in a tightly-contested semi-final contest against Maharashtra. Elizabeth Ekka exploded for 30 to give Chhattisgarh an early lead, but Maharashtra bounced back behind the efforts of Shruti Bhosale (16) to take the game into the fourth quarter. Chhattisgarh showed their late-game class and nerves to edge past for a 66-61 win in the end. In the other girls' semi-final, the trio of Pavithra Sree (20), Deepa D. (18) and Hari V. (16) led Tamil Nadu to a 70-57 win over Madhya Pradesh, blowing open a close game with a huge fourth-quarter run. Rajvi Desai scored 27 for MP in the loss.

MP found more favour in the boys' semi-final game, where they had defeated Rajasthan 59-46 behind a 25 point effort by Pankaj S. Rajveer SB scored 18 for the losing side. Chhattisgarh had little trouble getting past Uttar Pradesh despite a game-high 29 points by UP's star Priyanshu. Chhattisgarh started slow, but gained momentum as the game progressed and were in complete control of the second half en route to the 70-49 win. Rishab (18) and Sajjad (16) led Chhattisgarh's scoring surge.

Final Scores

• Girls: Chhattisgarh (Elizabeth Ekka 24, Shweta S. 13) bt Tamil Nadu (Pavithra Sree 16) 54-48 (21-8, 8-9, 9-14, 16-17).
  
• Boys: Madhya Pradesh (Jeet Kharwar 21, Brijesh Tiwari 19) bt Chhattisgarh (Sajjad Ali 13) 64-59 OT (12-15, 8-16, 15-8, 18-14, 11-6)
  

Third/Fourth Place Games

• Girls: Maharashtra (Suzanne 14) bt Madhya Pradesh 63-36 (21-13, 17-6, 12-11, 13-6).
• Boys: Rajasthan (Rajveer S. 21) bt Uttar Pradesh (Priyanshu 25, Aniket 16) 71-66 (22-18, 12-11, 19-16, 18-11).

Final Standings

Boys

• 1. Madhya Pradesh
• 2. Chhattisgarh
• 3. Rajasthan
• 4. Uttar Pradesh
• 5. Andhra Pradesh

Girls

• 1. Chhattisgarh
• 2. Tamil Nadu
• 3. Maharashtra
• 4. Madhya Pradesh
• 5. Karnataka