E-Paper
Ludhiana: Tamil Nadu clinches double gold, Punjab men runner-up in basketball c’ship
In the men’s title clash, Tamil Nadu faced a spirited Punjab side that had strong home support but eventually went down 76-81 in a nail-biting finish
Tamil Nadu stamped their dominance at the 75th Junior National Basketball Championship, organised by the Basketball Federation of India in collaboration with the Punjab Basketball Association, by winning both the men’s and women’s titles. The week-long tournament, which began on September 2 at Guru Nanak Stadium, concluded on Tuesday with thrilling finals that drew packed stands and roaring applause from basketball lovers.
The women’s final saw Tamil Nadu overpower Gujarat with a commanding 100-85 victory, showcasing speed, precision and teamwork. In the men’s title clash, Tamil Nadu faced a spirited Punjab side that had strong home support but eventually went down 76-81 in a nail-biting finish.
In placement matches, Uttar Pradesh edged past Haryana 82-80 to secure fifth place in the men’s category, while Karnataka women defeated Kerala 76-59 to clinch fifth position. For seventh place, Uttar Pradesh women overcame Punjab 57-51, and Karnataka men beat Madhya Pradesh 66-54. Meanwhile, Maharashtra women claimed third place with a close 54-51 win over Haryana, while Rajasthan men secured bronze with a dominant 86-57 victory against Kerala.
This year’s edition recorded 58 teams—31 men’s and 27 women’s—competing across 160 matches. Nearly 900 participants, including players, referees, officials, and technical teams, were part of the grand event, which saw enthusiastic crowds turn up daily to cheer the budding hoopsters.
The tournament was divided into Level 1 and Level 2 groups, ensuring high-intensity clashes throughout. Behind the seamless organisation were two celebrated sportspersons- organising secretary DCP Parminder Singh Bhandal, an Arjuna Awardee and former India international basketball player, and vice-chairman DCP Harpal Singh, an acclaimed boxer and Arjuna Awardee.
The final day also saw individual honours being presented. Punjab’s Marigendra Singh Dhaliwal was named the Most Valuable Player in the men’s category, while Gujarat’s Ahana George bagged the honour among women. The highest Three-Point Shooter award went to Mohit Jogchand in the men’s section and Punjab’s Chanda Gouttam in the women’s.
