Uzbeks win hot-tempered tie

Passions ran high all right. And tempers flew thicker and faster than one had anticipated. The culprits — both the coaches of India and Uzbekistan and Uzbek referee Ganiev Ravshan — all of who deserved red cards. Anywhere outside India, that would have been the penalty. But here, all was dismissed — a three-minute stoppage of the game included — as something that happened ‘‘in the heat of the moment.’’

For the record, Uzbekistan defeated India 87-78 in the final league game of the FIBA-Middle Asia Zone qualifier of the ABC championship. But in no way did the result alter the course of the vital goal for India: a place in the ABC championships in Nanjiang (China) in September. Both teams had already qualified having finished one and two in the five-team league qualifier that concluded at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium here today.

Earlier, Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka 70-61 in a close match to win the bronze.

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If Indian coach KK Chansooriya was guilty of crossing the line, the Uzbek coach as well as the referee were equally ill-behaved. The referee called arbitrary technical fouls and awarded penalties favouring the Uzbeks. Billed as the ‘big game’ of the tournament, the match failed to reach the rating.

The teams were equal. The Indians, though slow to start, found their rhythm going just after the first quarter — they were trailing 13-17 — as they took the lead for the first time. But lead kept changing hands with India taking a one-point lead at 63-62 at the end of the third quarter. Had India kept their cool, in the fourth quarter things would have been rather different. But provoked as they were, they missed easy baskets, including free throws.