TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The State Basketball Championship for Senior men and women got off to a rousing start at Don Bosco Oratory’s Fr Benedict Furtado indoor stadium on Saturday with Don Bosco Panjim easily accounting for Beasts Panjim 63-27 in the opening game.
The state championship, organized by Goa Basketball Association, has attracted participation from a record 22 teams in the senior men’s section and seven teams in the women’s section.
Don Bosco, Panjim dominated the match from the word go. They accumulated a huge seventeen-point lead in the first quarter. It was a deficit their younger opponents found too huge to nullify although the Panjim lads who styled themselves as ‘Beasts’ did give a spirited display and played their hearts out right up to the last whistle. In the second quarter they allowed Don Bosco team a smaller 13-points lead and in fact ensured the third quarter was tied at four points apiece. Don Bosco’s regained their wits and took the last quarter at 16-10 to tally a match aggregate score of 63-27.
The match that enthused the spectators and in fact kept them on the edge of their seats throughout was the one between Farmagudi Basketeers and Fr Agnel’s Verna, which the latter eventually won 41-30. Agnel’s took the first quarter 10-06 but the techies from Farmagudi took the battle to an even level claiming the second quarter by a 16-09 tally and in fact gaining a slender one-point lead of 20-19 at the half-time breather. The third quarter was tied at 08-08 but the Farmagudi boys lost steam in the final period and conceded a huge 11-point deficit to end up 30-41 losers to the Fr Agnel’s boys from Verna.
Earlier, President of Goa Basketball Association, Fr Ralin de Souza declared the championship open and was later introduced to the players of the inaugural match. Former Principal of Loyola High School Fr William Rodrigues also witnessed the opening day’s proceedings and was introduced to the Fr Agnel’s and Farmagudi teams.
In the final match of the day Assailants Panjim outplayed Flyers Porvorim 50- 19.
The matches were officiated by Menino de Souza, Luis Fernandes, Agnelo Dias, Andrew Cardozo, Olencio Dias and Ashley do Rosario.
Final scores: Don Bosco Panjim (63 points) beat Beasts Panjim (27 points)
Fr Agnel’s Verna (41 points) defeated Farmagudi Basketeers (30 points)
