PANAJI
Don Bosco S Academy A, Knights Veterans, and YMCA Knights registered convincing wins on the opening day of the State Senior Basketball Championships for Men and Women to book their places in the quarterfinals.
The championship, co-sponsored by Priority Constructions and organised by Lourdes Basketball Club in aegis with the Goa Basketball Association (GBA) and the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG), got underway at the Don Bosco Oratory, Panjim, amidst an enthusiastic crowd and fine displays of basketball talent.
In the day’s opening encounter, Don Bosco Academy Fatorda proved too strong for Kamikaze, cruising to a 55–16 victory. Tanish (13 points) and Bradley Barreto (11 points) led the charge for the Fatorda side, while Afzal was the lone bright spot for Kamikaze with 6 points. The experienced Knights Veterans then turned back the clock with a 42–12 win over Don Bosco S Academy B. Veteran star Daley Fernandes (10 points) rolled back the years with some vintage plays, supported by Goa stalwarts Spencer Viegas, Bosco, and Charles D’Souza. Despite the loss, the young Academy side, featuring several U17 Goa squad members, showed commendable fighting spirit but lacked the finishing touch. YMCA Knights wrapped up the day with a commanding 46–5 triumph over St Thomas Aldona, led by Rahul D’Souza (11 points) and fine all-round contributions from Shaun Aranjo and Jaedan Vaz.
Earlier, the tournament was inaugurated in the presence of Norman Isaac, Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), Fr. Ralin De Souza, Vice President of BFI, Shane Dias, President of GBA, GBA officials Olencio Dias, Sonali Raut Desai and Helen Pinto, and Lourdes Basketball Club members Jeshua Pinto and Jordan Xavier, among others.
