Hopping out of slump,TN make the final count

Its the sort of resurgence that got the veshti-clad,elderly man in the stands to walk down the stairs...

Its the sort of resurgence that got the veshti-clad,elderly man in the stands to walk down the stairs and make his way through the towering crowd of hoopsters. A retired government official felt an urge to go shake hands with Tamil Nadu captain S Robinson,who led the side into the Senior National Basketball final after a gap of four years.

The southern team packed off Uttarakhand 74-71 in a thriller to set up a title-clash with Railways. Theres the Robinson effect the 28-year-old Surti Tamilian,who has singularly drawn all local support his teams way. But the bigger comeback is of Team Tamil Nadu,who dominated the national basketball scene from 2000-2004,before a slump set in. A disappointing bronze followed the next two years,after which they failed to even get into contention.

This time,the team came to Surat with the backdrop of a suspended state association,and an ad hoc body managing affairs in Chennai. The state camp began a week later than scheduled because of weather,and the team was handed over to a first-time seniors coach,Bhaskar.

Adversity continued here as well,as Tamil Nadu played their quarter-finals late on Monday and semis early Tuesday,with sleep and meals all going awry in the last 24 hours. And then there was the prospect of facing Uttarakhand the star-studded team with three internationals in their ranks. Careful planning went into Tuesdays victory,though on the eve of Tamil Nadus biggest final in the last five years there was no dearth of heroes.

Ribbed often for hauling down the average height of the team to 64 is A Aravind,a plucky ball-handler,who at 54 is amongst the shortest in the tournament. On Tuesday,the 25-year-old led the charge after Tamil Nadu were 0-10 down at the outset. Along with CV Dinesh,Aravind restricted Uttarakhands prolific shooter Trideep Rai.

Top-scorer with 24 points was veteran Chandrasekharan,who struck high percentage figures in his shots. It was after a confidence-booster from his coach,assuring him that hed start for the team.

Shivani Naik

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More