'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
One of the oldest basketball championships in the country — the PSG All India Tournament, Coimbatore — is underway at the top class PSG Tech Indoor Sports Complex. This is the 49th edition of the tournament in the men’s section and the 12th edition for the women’s section. The men’s winners will be awarded the PSG Trophy while the best women’s team will lift the CRI Pumps trophy. Subject to confirmation by the organisers, eight men’s teams and seven women’s teams will be taking part this year. The tournament, which began on August 10th, concludes on August 15th.
In the opening match of the tournament, last year’s men’s runners up ONGC, Dehradun easily overcame the challenge posed by Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). ONGC has been one of the most dominant sides in recent memory. Today, even without the services of current internationals Vishesh Bhriguvanshi and Yadwinder Singh — who were part of the Indian team at the just concluded FIBA Asia Championships — the contributions from ex-internationals Riyazuddin, Trideep Rai and Murali Krishna ensured ONGC’s victory.
In the second men’s match, Punjab beat Indian Army, 85-63, courtesy the young international Ranbir Singh who scored 23 points. He was ably supported by Gurkirpal Singh (18 pp) and Jagdeep Singh (15 pp). Saurabh contributed 16 points for the Army team in their losing effort.
In the last men’s encounter, Cochin Customs, fresh off their third place finish in the just concluded Midhun Markose Championships, hit the ground running against Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala. Customs scored a mammoth 108 points with three of their players registering 20 points or more. Bijender Kumar’s 24 points for RCF were in vain as his team was downed by a margin in excess of 30 points. Customs 108, RCF 73.
In the women’s matches, South East Central Railway (SECR) beat Kerala Police 57-39. Later, Western Railway trounced South Western Railway 64-52. Finally, in the last women’s game of the opening day, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) beat Central Railway 53-41.
Match Results:
Men
- ONGC Dehradun 71 (Riyazuddin 26, Trideep Rai 18, Murali Krishna R 15) bt Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) 54 (Ajeeth Suguwan 13, Albin Baby 14, Towy K Mathew 9)
- Punjab State 85 (Ranbir Singh 23, Gurkirpal Singh 18, Jagdeep Singh 15) bt Indian Army 63 (Saurabh 16, Bibin Chacko 11 Mandeep Singh 9)
- Cochin Customs 108 (Nikhil K. R. 24, Basil Philip 23, Eudrick Periera 20) bt RCF Punjab 73 (Bijender Kumar 24, Ashutush 16, Harsh 13)
Women
- Southeast Central Railway 57 (Aakansha Singh 14, L. Deepa 12, Pushpa 10) bt Kerala Police 39 (Neenu Mol 12, Sonomol Soman 11, Asha Abraham 6)
- Western Railway 64 (Lincy Joseph 16, Renu Maurya 16, Anamika 16) bt South Western Railway 52 (Savitha L. S. 17, Reshma G. 11, Nimisha. K. K. 7)
- KSEB 53 (Shilji George 15, Rosmy Thomas 12, Merlin Baby 10) bt Central Railway 41 (Greesha Varghese 12, Sangeeta Mandal 9, Kenny 9)
Guess the Lakers players!
