International Geethu Anna Jose topscored with 11 points as India defeated host China 17-14 and won the women’s 3on3 basketball gold in the third Asian Beach Games at Haiyang on Tuesday.
It was India’s first gold at Haiyang.
India — international Anitha Paul Durai, Kiranjit Kaur and the young Shireen Vijay Limaye were the others in the four-member side — fielded some of its best players at these Games while China was a junior team with an average age of 16. Zhang Xu, the host’s oldest player at 17, was China’s top scorer with nine points.
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Geethu also emerged as the Games’ top scorer with 45 points from the five 10-minute matches. India had earlier beaten Mongolia 21-16 in the semifinals and Nepal 22-6, Philippines 14-9 and Thailand 17-12 in the preliminary league.
Men finish fifth
India finished fifth in men’s 3on3 basketball after defeating Thailand 16-8 while Afghanistan defeated Turkmenistan 16-9 and won the gold.
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In beach volleyball, India’s P. Mohan and Pradeep John failed to qualify for the pre-quarterfinal after finishing second in the three-team Group F. India beat Cambodia 21-14, 21-17 but lost to Kazakhstan 15-21, 17-21.
In kabaddi, the Indian women defeated Thailand 48-40 in a preliminary league game.