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Mission possible
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The 15-day National camp for the senior Indian women's basketball team not only trained the players on the finer aspects of the game but also provided them the much-needed confidence
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"C'MON, GET that right. Faster still. Go for the kill," voiced Abdul Hameed Khan, the chief coach of the senior Indian women's basketball team. The aggression in his tone did not upset the girls. Instead, they listened to him in a relaxed manner and did as told.
All the grind during the 15-day National camp at the GRD College of Science courts has instilled confidence in the girls, who would be playing the best teams in the forthcoming international invitational tournaments in Malaysia.
"The team is in good form and I am sure they will give their opponents a run for their money," says Abdul, who is affectionately called `Babu' by his mates.
In Asian basketball, the teams have always been split into two - the upper and the lower halves.
"For the first time we will be playing teams from the upper half. Teams like China, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia and Australia will be there in full strength. It will be a real test and will provide a lot of exposure for the girls," Abdul adds.
"We have played hosts Malaysia on a couple of occasions. We are confident of upsetting their applecart," avers Shiba Maggon, who has played in the senior Asian Basketball Championship thrice.
She says the team has been working seven hours a day for over a fortnight on conditioning, shooting and endurance.
"We've even played matches with boys from the local club. The best part is that we won most of them," she says with a smile. "It's nice to play with the boys. They are faster and stronger and that exposure helped us a lot," says Sofi Sam of Hyderabad.
Sofi, who has represented India both in the junior and the senior Asian Basketball Championships, explains that the team has worked on improving outside shooting.
During the camp, Abdul ensured that all players changed their positions so that they became all-rounders.
"Geethu and Suzi can dribble well and Anitha of Tamil Nadu is a good ball handler, but I don't want them to stick to just positions. They should excel in all departments of the game," Abdul states.
Of the 12 selected for the Malaysian tour, eight have represented the senior India team. The players are from different States. Does that hamper communication? "No way. Basketball is our communication," remarks Shiba.
S. Baskar of Tamil Nadu helped Abdul during the camp. The assistant coach, who has trained a dozen internationals, is confident the girls will return from Malaysia with their heads held high.
RAYAN ROZARIO
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