Puducherry

76thJunior National Basketball Championship began on an exciting note here at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium with thrilling contests marking the opening day of the prestigious tournament.

In the women’s section, Maharashtra produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Uttar Pradesh 72-51 in a high-intensity encounter. After trailing 37-30 at halftime, Maharashtra dominated the third quarter with a strong defensive display, restricting Uttar Pradesh to just four points. Aarya Pahatangare starred with 27 points, while Anvee Kulkarni added 16.

Chhattisgarh also scripted a dramatic win, edging Karnataka 56-52 after overturning an eight-point deficit in the final quarter. Rumi Konwar led the scoring with 14 points, while Divya Rangari contributed 12. In another women’s match, Rajasthan defeated Gujarat 62-55 behind Ankita’s 19-point effort.

The men’s section witnessed convincing victories for Kerala and Karnataka. Kerala outplayed Madhya Pradesh 76-48 with Naijal Jacob scoring 17 points, while Karnataka defeated Punjab 71-55 through a balanced team performance led by Anshul Sai and Divith Shenava.

Earlier, the championship was formally inaugurated in a colourful ceremony attended by dignitaries, athletes, and basketball enthusiasts from across the country. The event was declared open by N Rangaswamy following a ceremonial march past by participating teams. The inaugural function was presided over by Aadhav Arjuna, President of the Basketball Federation of India and Tamil Nadu Sports Minister. Conducted by the Pondicherry Basketball Association, the eight-day tournament features 30 men’s teams and 25 women’s teams from across India.