PANJIM: Sonics, Porvorim reaffirmed their status as the top basketball team in Goa in junior boys category as they emerged champions for the second year in running while Lourdes Convent were the winners in the junior girls category in the State Junior Basketball championship organised by Panjim Basketeers Club in collaboration with Goa Basketball Association, played at the Don Bosco Oratory, Panjim, on Monday.
Sonics were given a few tense moments by the Lourdes Basketball Club team, riding high on the back of a few stand-out performances from their players especially Calvin D’ Mellow, Merrick Fernandes and Vikram Fernandes, Sonics completed a well-deserved 38 – 25 win over the young team from Saligao. Jeshua Pinto played well for Lourdes. Merrick Fernandes was adjudged the most valuable player of the final.
The junior girls final was a one sided contest with Lourdes registering a comfortable 30-6 win over Fatima High School.
Shimron Nathan of Lourdes was the most valuable player of the final while Melma played well for Fatima. Calvin D’ Mello and Shimei Nathan were adjudged most valuable players of the tournament in the boys and girls categories respectively.
Third place prizes were won by Panjim Basketeers and Hoopers (junior boys) and Mary Immaculate and Sonics (junior girls).
Siddharth Kunkolienker, Chairman-EDC, Monica Dourado, Project Officer-SAG, Girish Lotlikar, President-GBA, Fr Ralin De Souza, Secretary-GBA, and Panjim Basketeers officials James Andrade (President) and Sandeep Heble (Secretary) graced the closing function.
