Navneet Singh, Chennai, 12 Sep : Indian women basketball team coach JP Singh who is supervising the national camp in Chennai for the upcoming 23rd FIBA Asia Championship Women, believes more in practical than theory. Perhaps that could be one of the reasons he doesn’t want to predict anything about the team’s performance in the big tournament beginning September 17, at Chennai
“We have drawn our strategy for the tournament. It has been briefed to the team members,” was all he said after team’s warm-up session Saturday.
Singh, a former international players, who also has vast coaching experience however, said, it will not be a cake walk for the home team. “Every match will be as tough as final. We have to give our best in each match to retain our position in the elite level,” he added.
Two years ago in the last edition of the tournament held at Incheon, Korea, Indian team played their heart out to remain in level I of the competition. Hosts team apart, other teams clubbed in level I include Korea who are defending champions, Chinese Taipei, Japan, China and Thailand.
The level II teams are– Malaysia, Phillipines, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Lebanon and Uzebekistan.
India’s challenge in the tournament will be lead by Indian Railways cager Geethu Anna Jose. Jose was also instrumental in India’s excellent performance in the 2007 edition in Korea. In Korea, she topped scored with 32.8 points per match.
Jose apart, five players who represented the country in Korea, have also found a place in the 12-member team. The players are–Anitha Pauldurai, Akanksha Singh, Anju Lakra, Prashanti Singh and Kiranjeet Kaur.
While seasoned campaigner Shiba Maggon have also been included in the team.
India play its opening match with defending champion Korea on September 17.
Team: Geethu Anna Jose (Captain), Anitha Pauldurai, Shiba Maggon, Prashanti Singh, Akanksha Singh, Kiranjeet Kaur, Pratima Singh, Sonika Ohlan, Anju Lakra, Kruthika Lakshman, Raspreet Sidhu and Harjeet Kaur.
Team coach: JP Singh