SABA U-16 Qualifiers: Indian men's team qualify for FIBA Asian U-16 Championships 2023

Indian Hoopsters secured the top spot among the three teams

The Indian U-16 men’s basketball team secured a spot at the FIBA U-16 Asian Championships 2023 by advancing to the final and triumphing over Sri Lanka (62-55) in the SABA U-16 Qualifiers. The upcoming U-16 Asian Championship is scheduled to take place at the Al-Gharafa Sports Club Hall in Doha, Qatar, spanning from 17-24 September, 2023.

The tournament had three teams participating – the Maldives, India and Sri Lanka. The Maldives lost both their matches against Sri Lanka and India and were out of the qualification race. Staying undefeated, the Indian team emerged as the force to reckon with in the entire tournament. The Blue Colts secured an easy victory against the Maldives in the opening fixture and won over the hosts, Sri Lanka, on two occasions including the group stage and final.

Sri Lanka 55-62 India

This match was supposed to be an easy one for India, considering their dominant win in the previous encounter, but it turned out to be an entertaining contest. The home crowd was in full support of the Lankans, playing the twelfth man role.

The Indian Cagers started strong with a 7-0 scoring run, but a few minutes later Sri Lanka changed the complexion of the match with a 10-point run. They were able to take offensive rebounds and convert them into points.

Gradually, it became apparent that the crowd’s energy was beginning to affect India’s performance, resulting in missed shots and rebounds. With four minutes elapsed, India found themselves without any points on the board, until their captain Lavish managed to break the drought with a crucial two pointer.

In the second quarter, India managed to secure the lead at the midway point, sparkling a seesaw battle where both teams alternated leads until the conclusion of the first half. The second quarter concluded with a tie at 20-20, resulting in a cumulative score of 36-34.

With the winning streak on the line, it was important for India to bounce back in this quarter to avoid any further damage. Mohit Jogchand opened the scoring for India with a three pointer, which led to India taking a comfortable 53-46 lead. In the fourth quarter, India never lost the advantage over Sri Lanka, eventually trying everything to make a comeback.

Even though India won, the mid-game slump, which led to Sri Lanka taking the lead, was a bit concerning. India’s weak shooting from three pointer region and conceding turnovers can hurt during big games.