Tamil Nadu, Railways crowned champions at 74th Senior National Basketball Championships

Both teams continued their reigns on the national stage.

Tamil Nadu secured their second consecutive men’s national title at the 74th Senior National Basketball Championships with a commanding 80-56 victory over Punjab at the Sidsar Sports Complex in Bhavnagar. The defending champions, who had earlier defeated Karnataka 78-51 in the semifinals, showcased their depth with multiple scorers leading the charge.

Guards Ananthraj and Arvind Kumar Muthukrishnan contributed 17 points each, while Indian national team captain Muin Bek Hafeez added 15 points to the tally.

In the women’s final, Indian Railways dominated Kerala with an 86-53 victory. Dharshini Thirunavukkarasu led all scorers with 17 points, including a crucial 10-point surge in the second half.

Men’s Final: Defending champions’ masterclass

Punjab, who had reached the finals after a tight 69-63 win over Indian Railways, struggled offensively throughout the game, managing just 12, 14, 15, and 15 points across the four quarters. Their perimeter shooting woes were evident as key players Nawaz Singh Panaich and Kanwar Gurbaz Singh Sandhu combined for a mere 2-of-11 from three-point range. Amritpal Singh (20 points) and Amjyot Singh (15 points) were the lone bright spots for Punjab.

Tamil Nadu’s victory was bolstered by Pranav Prince’s stellar interior defense, consistently disrupting Punjab’s offensive rhythm with active rebounding and shot contesting. Despite Amritpal’s attempts to rally Punjab with his semi-sky hooks in the second half, Tamil Nadu’s defensive adjustments quickly neutralized the threat.

Shoutout to the Most Valuable Players(MVPs) of the 74th Senior National Basketball Championship! 🏆MVP (Women): T Darshini, Indian RailwaysMVP (Men): Pranav Prince, Tamil NaduIn an unprecedented move, the winners of the MVP titles will each receive a car as their prize!… pic.twitter.com/OF6BvV5Vkj

— #IndiaBasketball (@BFI_basketball) January 13, 2025

Railways’ dominant display

Railways’ balanced scoring attack proved decisive with Pushpa Senthilkumar (14 points), Poonam Chaturvedi (13 points), and Vaishnavi Yadav (13 points) providing consistent offensive support. Kerala’s offensive struggles were epitomized by Sreekala Rani’s inefficient 5-for-21 shooting performance, though she finished with 18 points. Susan Florentina added 17 points, while Jayalakshmi contributed 12 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.

Both championship teams were awarded ₹5,00,000, while the runners-up received ₹3,00,000. Individual honors went to Pranav Prince and Dharshini Thirunavukkarasu, who were named tournament MVPs and each received a car. Kunwar Gurbaz and Sreekala R were recognized as the tournament’s best three-point shooters.

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