Team Herald
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PANJIM: Don Bosco S Academy A, Knights Veterans and YMCA Knights made dominant starts to their campaigns, storming into the quarter-finals on the opening day of the State Senior Basketball Championships for men and women, co-sponsored by Priority Constructions and organised by Lourdes Basketball Club under the aegis of the Goa Basketball Association (GBA) and the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG), at Don Bosco Oratory, Panjim.
In the opening match, Don Bosco Academy Fatorda overwhelmed Kamikaze 55-16, with Tanish (13 points) and Bradley Barreto (11) leading the charge. Afzal was the lone performer for Kamikaze, scoring six points.
The experienced Knights Veterans rolled back the years in their 42-12 win over Don Bosco S Academy B, led by Daley Fernandes (10 points) and supported by stalwarts Spencer Viegas, Bosco, and Charles D’Souza. The young Academy B side, featuring several Goa U-17 players, displayed spirit but lacked composure under pressure.
Wrapping up the day, YMCA Knights produced a commanding 46-5 victory over St Thomas Aldona, with Rahul D’Souza (11 points) starring alongside Shaun Aranjo and Jaedan Vaz, who contributed all-round performances.
Earlier, the tournament was inaugurated by Norman Isaac, chairman of the Technical Committee of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), in the presence of Fr Ralin De Souza, Vice President of BFI, Shane Dias, President of GBA, officials Olencio Dias, Sonali Raut Desai, Helen Pinto, and Lourdes Basketball Club members Jeshua Pinto and Jordan Xavier.
