Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network-Karkala (JD)
Karkala, Aug 30: The national basketball team which is getting trained at the premises of Nitte University, Karkala exhibited their skills and mesmerized budding basketball enthusiasts at U Srinivasa Mallya Indoor Stadium on Monday August 29.
The school children who thronged the indoor stadium after their school hours had every bit of fun as the national team probables who were 14 in number played a practice match forming two teams themselves and playing some tough moves.
The kids who were about 40-50 in number applauded the players for a good finish inspite of a tackle or an energetic lay up. Be it a three pointer or a corner shot, the game got the children transfixed.
A group photograph with the national team was clicked later and the team was wished good luck as they ready themselves for the FIBA Asian Challenge Cup to be held at Teheran, Iran from September 8.
Since August 15, the team is getting trained at Nitte University and will leave for Teheran on September 7 from Mangaluru itself. On September 9, they will play their first group match against Philippines and the second will be against Chinese Taipei on September 10. The subsequent matches will be similar to the round Robin League where the team will play against the likes of China, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Iran who are considered strong contenders.
"Our boys are getting groomed very well. Their fitness and skills are improving by the day and it is a tough challenge to conquer teams like China, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Iran etc as they are in good shape and have just finished playing at the Olympics. This tournament win will not give us an Olympics berth, but will help to improve our ranking in Asia. It is a tactic by FIBA to keep the flow of basketball on Asia level along with Asian Basketball Cup which is an Olympic qualifier event. We hope to deliver our best and will try the same at every match. If we win at least two matches in the round Robin League, our place in the quarter finals to begin from September 16 and the finals to be held on September 18 is guaranteed," said the chief national coach Sathprakash Yadav speaking to media persons.
"Along with captain Amrithpal Singh, the team members Yadwinder Singh, Akhilan Pari, Akashdeep Kazra, Vishvesh, Prasanna, Talvinder, Bala, Vishla Kumar, Riachith, Basil, Bhullar, Abhishek, Anvil and two others including Amjyoth Singh who is playing the Japan Basketball league will join us in two days. 12 player contingents will fly to Teheran," informed Sunny, assistant coach of the team.
It is a proud moment for all Kannadigas and people from coastal Karnataka as world class facilities in one of the institutions is being utilized for training of the national team for the second consecutive year.