PANAJI
DBO Panjim and DBO Fatorda have booked their spots in the Junior Boys final, while DBO Fatorda also sealed their place in the Junior Girls final of the State Junior Basketball Championships 2025, at the Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium, Navelim.
The tournament, a selection tournament for the Junior Nationals at Ludhiana, has been organized by Panjim Basketeers Club under the aegis of the Goa Basketball Association and the Sports Authority of Goa.
In the first Junior Boys semifinal, DBO Fatorda mounted a spectacular comeback after trailing 6-15 in the opening quarter to edge out Sonics with a thrilling 49-42 victory. Aaron Ponraj and Jude Fernandes both scored 13 points, with Kayden D’Silva contributing 9 points. Jude Fernandes was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his clutch performance. Despite the loss, Daniel Rodrigues (13 points) and Daniel Saji (12 points) shone for Sonics.
The second semifinal saw DBO Panjim edge past a determined Navy Children’s School (NCS) Vasco outfit 32-29, in a tense and closely-fought battle. DBO’s Kevin De Souza, with 11 points, was adjudged MVP, while Abhinav Singh led NCS Vasco’s effort with 12 points. In the Junior Girls semifinal, DBO Fatorda produced a dominant 33-13 win over Sharada Mandir to set up a title clash with Sonics. For DBO Fatorda, Natalie Fernandes led the scoring with 9 points and was named MVP, while Sarah Albuquerque (7 points) also impressed. Urvi Shirodkar scored 5 points for Sharada Mandir in a spirited display.
