Maharashtra eves enter semi-finals

JAIPUR, MARCH 19: A well-knit Maharashtra team outplayed a depleted Punjab by a comfortable 68-46 points in the first quarter-final match in the women8217;s section of the 59th Senior National Basketball Championship at the Swai Man Singh Stadium here tonight. Kerala also moved into the semi-final after overcoming a fighting Andhra Pradesh by 53-48 margin. The winners were leading by 32-26 points in the first-half. The plucky Andhra Pradesh, with Yamuna K Philip waging a lion-hearted battle, were trailing by just five points 49-44 in the closing stages of the game. However, Kerala were a better team and they deserved victory. In the pre-quarter-final men8217;s encounter, Maharashtra defeated Madhya Pradesh by 72-64 and qualified to meet pool a leaders in Super League Tamil Nadu in the quarter-final.

Scores

Men PQF: Maharashtra 72Mahesh Nadu 23, Shibu George 15, Pankaj Deshmukh 7, Vijay 6 bt Madhya Pradesh 64Saju Balan 24, Saji T Thomas 18, Varinder Joshi 14. Placing for pre-quarterfinals: UttarPradesh 72Rajinder Singh 27, R Suresh Kumar 10, Amit Singh 14 bt Madhya Pradesh 42Varinder Joshi 16.

Women QF: Kerala 53 Sini Thaliath 15, Sheeja Mathew 9, Binu Cherian 15 bt Andhra Pradesh 48 Yamuna K Philip 22, MA Sisely 7; Maharashtra 68Pradnya Mane 28, Arnika Gujar 10, Lincy Joseph 16, Manisha Khaprekar 6, Sandhya 6 bt Punjab 46Reena 19, Kiran 12, Anupreet 7.