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American College claims boys' title

By Our Special Correspondent

The American College School winner of the boys' title of the Professional Basketball Ace Club's all-India schools tournament in Chennai on Monday. Right: The Bhilai Steel Plant School, which won the girls title.

Chennai Sept. 15. Vinoth Kumar played a leading role in American College School, Madurai, winning the boys' title of the Professional Basketball Ace Club's all-India schools tournament. His brilliant and steady underboard basketing in the final minutes helped the Madurai team to beat Viswabharathi, Bhilai, 71-57 at Montfort indoor stadium, Santhome, here on Monday.

Earlier, in an all-Bhilai girls' final, Bhilai Steel Plant School had to fight hard to down Durga GHSS 45-34 and win the top honours.

Despite the postponement of the tournament, the PBA managed to get more school teams this year and the tournament went off well, bringing into focus the wealth of basketball talent in the country. Both the finals were quite absorbing and the boys' final saw the Madurai boys battle their way to victory, despite the fact that they had to play in semi darkness because of power failure in the hall for a brief period.

Viswabharathi surged to a 21-11 lead in the first quarter, but the Madurai team rallied strongly to make it 34-30 at half time. Then they were neck and neck and it was 50-46 at half-time in favour of the American College School.

But in the final minutes Vinoth went on a basketing spree under the rival board unchallenged. Kannan and Anantha Krishna lent good support in attack. For Viswabharathi, Murali was the top scorer.

Govt. HSS, Kozhikode, finished third in the boys' section, beating Delhi Public School 65-58.

It was a tough fight between BSP School and Durga in the girls' final. They were tied at 20 in the first quarter and then BSP stretched the lead to 25-14 at half-time and in the second-half BSP surged ahead through Mridula's baskets.

Sacred Heart, Thanjavur, came third in the girls' section, beating Northwick, Chennai, 67-33. Mr. B.S.V. Murthy, IRS, Commissioner, Chennai Customs, distributed the prizes.

The results:

Boys' final: American College School, Madurai, 71 (Kannan 19, Vinoth Kumar 25, Anantha Krishnan 14) bt Viswabharathi, Bhilai, 57 (Murali 18, M.S. Rao 16, Pratham Singh 11). Third place: Govt. HSS, Kozhikode, 65 (Vijobi Vakkachan 28, Nitin Joseph 21) bt Delhi PS 58

(Briender 24, Sanjay 14).

Semifinals: Viswabharathi 61 (M.S. Rao 18, Murali 18) bt Govt. HSS, Kozhikode, 58 (Nitin 15, Vijobi 18, Jobin 12); American College School, Madurai, 83 (Kannan 34, Vinoth Kumar 21) bt Delhi PS 75 (Brinder 39, Sanjay 28). Quarterfinals: Viswabharathi bt St. Peter's HSS 69-33, American College School bt Santhome HSS 67-59, Govt HSS, Kozhikode bt Gokul Nadar, Salem

82-78; Delhi PS bt Fr. Agnel, Mumbai, 71-48.

Girls' final: Bhilai Steel Plant School 45 (Mridula Adil 17) bt Durga GHSS 34 (Parwati Sahu 10, Pushpa 12, Akansha Singh 12). Third place: Sacred Heart, Thanjavur, 67 (Sophia Thomas 29, Sangeetha 20) bt Northwick 33 (Mahalakshmi 14, Reena 10).

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