The Chhattisgarh girls' basketball team secured the gold medal at the 76th Junior National Basketball Championship, held in Puducherry on Friday. In a closely contested final, they defeated Kerala with a score of 55-51.
Tournament Organization
The championship was organized by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) in collaboration with the Puducherry Basketball Association.
Key Performers
Divya Rangari led the scoring for Chhattisgarh with an impressive 22 points. Captain Anjali Kodape contributed 14 points. Other notable scorers included Rumi Konwar and Anjani, who each added 7 points, followed by Aditi Kodape with 3 points and Sara Singh with 2 points. Sophie Sika and Nandini Madho Pradhan also delivered crucial performances that ensured the team's victory.
Journey to the Final
Chhattisgarh entered the final after defeating Karnataka 67-62 in the semi-finals. Earlier, they beat Maharashtra 56-44 in the quarter-finals. During the league stage, the team registered victories against top teams, including Karnataka and multi-time defending champions Tamil Nadu.
Consistent Performers
Throughout the tournament, the core group of Rangari, Konwar, Aditi Kodape, Anjali Kodape, Anjani, Sika, and Pradhan maintained consistent form.
Squad Details
The Chhattisgarh squad included: Anjali Kodape (Captain), Aditi Kodape, Anjani, Rumi Konwar, Sophie Sika, Nandini Madho Pradhan, Natasha Prajapati (Rajnandgaon), Divya Rangari (Mahasamund), Parul Verma (Raipur), Nitya Pandey (Raipur), Kalash Jha (Bhilai), and Sara Singh (Bhilai).
