SINGAPORE: Akanksha Singh Basketball (ASB) has won gold in the 18&U 5v5 category at the 15th Asia Pacific Cup, which took place from 19 to 21st October, becoming the first Indian team in the tournament’s history to achieve this feat.
The Asia Pacific Cup is organised twice a year in Singapore and Malaysia by Fastbreak Basketball Singapore. Each edition draws more than 130 teams from over 13 countries across five age categories (12U to 18U boys and girls), across both 5v5 and 3x3.
ASB went unbeaten through the pool stage, winning all three games against WABA (West Australian Basketball Association), Fastbreak Basketball (Singapore) and SHSID Stallions (China). The team entered the knockout stage as the top seed.
The Playoffs
The knockout stage brought two high-intensity games on the same day: a quarterfinal against Swisherr’s (Tasmania) and a semi-final face-off with WABA. ASB won both by more than 20 points.
The final, played at UWCSEA’s East Campus, pitted ASB against Titans of Singapore, the defending champions. In a tight contest into the second half, ASB opened up a 49–37 lead through relentless pressure defence and repeated attacks at the rim. Titans fought back, but ASB’s long-range shooting and rim protection held firm for a 54–47 win.
Speaking about the win, ASB co-founder Nityn Bulchandani said:
“When we decided to compete in the Asia Pacific Cup more than four years ago, it began a development journey that gave our students the exposure and clarity to become athletes who can win against international teams. ASB has competed every year since, growing our development programs and our students’ belief in what they can achieve.
Every one of these eight athletes is a product of years of training at ASB. This title is proof that sustained domestic and international exposure can produce Indian players who win at this level.”
India U16 forward Shekhar Rathee and Irfan N led the scoring for a compact eight-player squad.
The guard-led rotation of Anshul Sai, Vir Amba, Aarush Goyal, Armaan Sandeep and Shaylan Dua, alongside the team’s only centre, Shresth Jain, held off the Singaporean attack to secure a first Asia Pacific Cup title for ASB and for an Indian team in this category.
The squad was coached by Head Coach Puneeth Chandra, assisted by Manoj Singh, Nityn Bulchandani and Divya Singh.
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