CHENNAI: There was a time when Tamil Nadu was a power house in basketball in the country. The tall, well built and elegant players from Rajapalayam captured the imagination of basketball aficionados with their agility and flair. The late K Suryanarayana Raja of Rajapalayan who played for India and led Tamil Nadu was very popular. The success of those teams was due to good exposure and basketball culture in the state.
The then administrators like ‘Jumpball’ Padhu used to invite foreign teams to play against Tamil Nadu for the players exposure. With the current lot of administrators in the TNBA emulating the administrators of the past it is not surprising to see the Tamil Nadu teams dominating the basketball events at the 6th Khelo India Youth Games by bagging the gold medals in both the boys’ and girls’ categories
The boys’ team defeated Rajasthan 86-85 in the final, while the girls’ team trounced Punjab 70-66 in the gold medal match. “It was an excellent performance by both the teams. This victory will boost their confidence and will come in handy for them in the year ahead,’’ complimented, Aezaz Ahmed, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association.
A sizeable crowd had come to support Tamil Nadu’s basketball teams at the PSG Medical College stadium in Coimbatore. The girls’ team struggled to find their rhythm in the first half and trailed 22-40. However, with the crowd getting behind them, skipper Arima Sundaram, Deepthi and Sanjana started finding their range and the hosts not only managed to fight back but also took a 53-49 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Muthukumarasamy coach of the Tamil Nadu women’s team was all praise for the players. “It was a creditable show by the girls. They played as a unit and peaked at the right time. We started out well and carried the momentum,’’ said Muthukumarasamy. In the final, women’s team held on their nerves and played the big points better than Punjab.
Results: Basketball: Boys: Gold Medal Match: TN bt Rajasthan 86-85. Bronze Medal Match: Punjab bt UP 76-73. Girls: Gold Medal Match: TN bt Punjab 70-66. Bronze Medal Match: Maharashtra bt MP 90-71.