India huffed and puffed its way to a 73-65 victory over Iran on the opening day of the FIBA under-18 women’s Asian championship at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium here on Sunday.
Led by captain and forward Fatemah Ghazvini, who was easily the best player on display scoring 22 points, Iran came agonisingly close. With under two minutes left, India could only boast of a two-point lead (64-62). But Bengaluru girl Harshitha Bopaiah’s timely basket eased nerves before the host held on.
For India, skipper Pushpa Senthil Kumar didn’t take the field as her injured ankle hadn’t sufficiently healed. At the start, India didn’t seem to miss her too, as it was off to a brisk start, going up 23-13 in the first quarter.
However, little did anyone expect things to unfold the way they did in the second. With a combination of fast breaks and rapid turnovers, Iran staged a stirring comeback. Ghazvini was heavily involved, netting 12 points in that 10-minute period.
Iran even went ahead 35-33 but a string of baskets by forwards Ishwarya Janardhanan and Sreekala Rani ensured India was ahead again at half-time (40-35).
Iran kept pace with India in the third quarter as Zeinab Ghaffari and Negin Khameneh won 11 rebounds between them. Though it lacked the drive when Ghazvini was off the court, Iran reined India in. In the final quarter, Khameneh put on a fine show of offensive game (15 points) to run India close.
India will take on Guam on Monday.
Earlier, in Division A, while Australia was an easy victor, beating Indonesia 96-28, Korea and Japan faced stiff competition from Chinese Taipei and New Zealand.
Japan overcomes NZ
The Japan-New Zealand contest, at one point, was on a knife’s edge after a spirited third quarter comeback by the Tall Ferns turned a daunting 29-41 deficit to a wafer-thin 50-52. But Japan, led by forward Nanko Todo’s nine points, was irrepressible in the final period, winning 77-62.
The results:
Division A: Group A: Australia 96 bt Indonesia 28; Korea 64 bt Chinese Taipei 56.
Group B: China 102 bt Malaysia 28; Japan 77 bt New Zealand 62.
Division B: Group A: India 73 (Harshitha Bopaiah 15, Ishwarya Janardhanan 13, Sreekala Rani 17, Anumaria 11) bt Iran 65 (Fatemah Ghazvini 22, Negin Khameneh 15); Singapore 83 bt Guam 35.
Group B: Hong Kong 78 bt Samoa 50; Syria 56 bt Kazakhstan 40.
