India lose to Philippines in FIBA Asia U-18 Championship

TEHRAN : India have ended their 24th FIBA Asia U18 Men’s Championship on a positive note, pushing formidable Philippines to the absolute brink before finishing the Championship on a 12-year-high. The last time the Indian U18 Men’s team had entered the quarterfinals was back in 2004, where the side finished seventh. Coming into this match, Philippines (WR 28) had beaten India (WR 52) quite easily (105-82) in the group stages. As this 7-8 classification game got underway, the south-east Asian powerhouse looked to reassert its supremacy, raking up a 12 point lead at the end of the first quarter. But the tide turned drastically over the next 20 minutes, with India going on a 37-28 run. At the end of the third quarter, Philippines led, but only just (54-51). No more were they taking their opponents for granted as the two sides geared up for an epic finish.Indian coaches Dileep Gurumurthy and Paramdeep Singh, who have been giving ample floor time to their second unit in the latter stages of this championship, continued with the same strategy. Tonight, it was the turn of the two backup Delhi guards Hansraj and Rachit to prove their mettle. Captain P Baladhaneshwar, India’s influential guard did not play a single minute, nor did power forward Mohammed Shiras. With those two on the bench, guards Hariram Ragupathy and Rachit, and centre Vishal stepped up to score a whopping 51 points between them. The key statistic in India’s favour was the number of times it was able to get to the freethrow line, attempting 28 freethrows while conceding just 9 to Philippines. In the fourth quarter, Philippines started well, going on a 11-1 run before Vishal, Hariram and Rachit got India back within 1 possession, 64-65. Turnovers by both teams followed, before Philippines’ Fran Yu showed nerves of still to knock down two clutch free throws to take his side to a 3 point lead. India had a chance to tie the game with 34 seconds left in regulation, but the rushed three by Hariram was off the mark. In the end Philippines did just enough to secure the classification win, while India’s U18 team sent out an ominous warning to their Asian opponents that their best is still to come in the years ahead. In the main draw of the competition, Japan and Iran will face off in the finals scheduled later this evening.