SABA Championship basketball: India upstage Maldives 88-31 in opener
Following the big win, the Indian basketball team has climbed to the top of the standings. India face defending champions Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
The men’s Indian basketball team got off to a flying start at the South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Championship 2021, with a comfortable 88-31 win over the Maldives on Tuesday.
India, ranked 78 in the world, faced no challenge against the 142nd-ranked Maldives and dominated the proceedings right from the start at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in Dhaka.
Led by captain Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, India had a 12-0 lead in the first four minutes and finished the first quarter with a solid 26-4 advantage.
Five-time SABA champions India continued the assault against the struggling Maldivian defence, scoring 28 more points in the second quarter while the island nation managed to add just seven.
The tempo of the match slowed down in the third quarter, with Maldives upping the challenge in both defence and offence. However, India still pocketed more points and went into the final quarter with a massive 71-22 lead.
The Maldives continued their improved performance in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late as India cruised to an 88-31 victory.
India’s big win takes them to the top of the SABA Championship standings, followed by defending champions Sri Lanka, who also won their opening match. The third and fourth places are occupied by Bangladesh and Maldives, respectively.
India play Sri Lanka in their next match on Wednesday.