LUDHIANA: The penultimate day of the 75th Junior National Basketball Championship, hosted by the Punjab Basketball Association under the aegis of the Basketball Federation of India at Guru Nanak Stadium, witnessed thrilling semifinal encounters on Monday.
In the boys’ section, Tamil Nadu stunned defending champions Rajasthan 82-77 in a hard-fought battle. Rajasthan made a strong start, leading 25-17 in the first quarter and regaining the advantage in the third (68-59). But the Tamil Nadu side staged a remarkable comeback in the final quarter to clinch victory. Akash (27 points), Mithun Vel (14), and Venkat Dhanush N (16) were the key contributors for the winners, while Piyush Choudhary (23) and captain Lokesh Kumar Sharma (22) fought valiantly for Rajasthan.
Hosts Punjab also sealed their berth in the boys’ final after overcoming Kerala 78-70 in a tense contest. Tamil Nadu and Punjab will now face off for the championship crown.
In the girls’ semifinals, Tamil Nadu displayed their dominance with a commanding 90-62 victory over Maharashtra, last year’s bronze medallists. Jeffrin A top-scored with 25 points, supported by Yuvasree P (14) and Swetha G (13). Maharashtra’s resistance came through Aarya Phatangare (18), Vedika Singh (19), and Tvishaa Sharma (13), but it wasn’t enough to halt Tamil Nadu’s march to the final.
The second semifinal produced another spectacle as Gujarat outclassed Haryana 87-79. Gujarat skipper Aahna George delivered a captain’s knock with 31 points, while Archi Patel (19) and Vidhiben Baria (18) chipped in crucial baskets. Haryana’s Garima and Bhumi Kataria impressed with 24 points each, but Gujarat’s collective effort ensured a place in the title clash against Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, classification matches also concluded on Monday. In the boys’ category, Uttar Pradesh crushed Madhya Pradesh 77-38 to claim fifth place, Haryana edged Karnataka 82-80 for seventh spot, and Delhi overcame Chandigarh 65-60 to secure ninth position.
Among the girls, Kerala finished fifth after defeating Punjab 66-46, Karnataka beat Uttar Pradesh 74-47 for seventh place, and Chhattisgarh thrashed Rajasthan 81-50 to settle ninth place.
With Tamil Nadu set to feature in both the boys’ and girls’ finals, the last day promises exciting championship deciders.
