For a team comprising five senior players, four debutants and the rest in their early 20s, reaching the final of the senior National basketball championships in Puducherry recently, was an unexpected feat.
And going by its performance, the eight-time champion deserves credit, but at the same time it exposed areas where the team needs to focus.
Pitted against the top guns, Uttarakhand and Indian Railways, lightweights Gujarat and Chhattisgarh in Group B, TN performed admirably to defeat all except Uttarakhand.
Against Indian Railways, which had huge, tall players, TN played as a well-knit unit, with Akilan playing the role of unifier in splendid fashion.
TN put it across Kerala, consisting mostly of college players, in the quarterfinals.
In the match, youngsters Jeevanantham and Sivabalan took up the responsibility and did exceedingly well. Against Rajasthan, which had reached the semifinals after 25 years, TN had it easy.
It was always going to be an uphill task against Uttarakhand in the final. Possessing players of the calibre of Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Trideep Rai, Murali Krishna and Amritpal Singh, Uttarakhand proved a hard nut to crack.
One of the reasons for TN’s defeat was that Prasanna Venkatesh, one of the most talented players in the side, couldn’t find his form in the final.
Then Rikin and Vineet, two of the tallest players in the team, failed to rise to the occasion.
It was Jeevanantham who came to the rescue. The 20-year-old’s shooting prowess coupled with his defensive and offensive rebounds helped the side remain in the contest.
He and Vineet were effective in controlling Amritpal till the third quarter, but once Jeevanantham committed five fouls and went out, the momentum changed.
Muinbek was another revelation, his drive-ins, and lay-ups against taller players were a sight to behold. Observers also pointed out TN’s strategy of playing zone defence in the final and the absence of Amjyot Singh (reportedly concentrating on playing in the Japanese league) and Aravind Annadurai (thigh injury) as other reasons for the loss.
Head coach Aezaz Ahmed said he was happy with the performance given the composition of the team.
He, however raised a valid point. “We need to spot exceptionally tall, well-built players and groom them. It is a long-term plan. That would help us put up consistent performances,” he said.
“I have to mention that the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association gave us a free hand in selecting the team.”
