The Indian cagers are just a match away from making history in the 22nd Men’s Asian Basketball Championships, currently on at Harbin, China. A win in their last group B match against Korea tomorrow would not only provide a shot in the arm for the Indian hoopsters but also enhance their reputation in the continental event. India’s best finishing so far — eighth — came in the last meet in Shanghai two years ago.And chief coach K K Chansooriya sounded confident on the eve of the match. ‘‘The boys are in their groove and it was reflected in their game today against Malaysia. After a tiring flight and without a proper warm-up, they beat Kuwait — they are coached by an American — yesterday. And we have to only keep the rhythm going for the match tomorrow,’’ he told The Indian Express from Harbin on Wednesday.Talking of the Koreans, Chansooriya said that they were really tough customers and one of the best in Asia. ‘‘We have to contain their aggression and slow them down. That’s the only way to beat them. Luckily, our boys have had some rest and are recovering from the jetlag they suffered,’’ he said.What strategy would he employ to stop the Koreans? ‘‘I would want to go for a halfcourt press with a tight defence to start with and then gradually shift to fullcourt press, depending on the situation. Our players, too, can play aggressively and defend well as they did today. “What I would look for from the boys is to score off offensive points.’’The coach said veteran Parminder Singh was playing his role to perfection — both in defence and offence. If it was Robinson and Parminder who took the burden on their shoulders yesterday after a tiring journey, the other youngsters in the team pitched in today with a superb game against Malaysia. S Sridhar proved unstoppable on the day with 36 points.Playmaker Sambaji Kadam came in for a special mention today along with Gopinath for their excellent passing. Skipper Robinson was at his defensive best today and with fine rebound collection, kept the Malaysians at bay.What impressed the coach the most was the percentage play by the Indians. ‘‘For instance, our boys kept a leash on the Malaysians, particularly sharp shooter Satyaseelan, throughout the game even as they relaxed a bit in the last quarter. But all along we maintained the lead.’’As Chansooriya said, if the Indians keep their feet on ground and play according to script, a win against Korean is in the realms of possibility.
