West Asia Super League: Tamil Nadu bows out with 96-102 loss to Kazma
West Asia Super League: Tamil Nadu bows out with 96-102 loss to Kazma
In yet another rearguard surge, Tamil Nadu cuts down 21 point deficit to single digits, gaining the respect of their opponents, as well as fans back in India.
This Tamil Nadu basketball team is for real. The Indian basketball community has known it all along, and now it was the turn of West Asia’s top clubs to notice.
Gaining the respect of their final opponent Kazma, Tamil Nadu will be proud of its showing in India’s West Asia Super League Final 8 debut.
The tournament is underway at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall in Doha, Qatar.
Tamil Nadu worthy of WASL
Despite finishing winless, with a 0-3 record, India’s reigning Senior National Champs proved to themselves and others, that they can compete among West Asia’s best franchises.
In almost identical fashion to its previous game against Kuwait Club, Tamil Nadu found itself staring at a gaping deficit, only to make a heroic comeback in the final 7-8 minutes.
Facing yet another Kuwaiti club - this time Kazma on May 28 - Tamil Nadu’s outside shooting - which was a horrendous 3/23 for this first three quarters - suddenly found life in the fourth period.
Late three pointers
Back to back threes by Muin Bek Hafeez and Pranav Prince, brought the Indian team within 3 points of Kazma with less than a minute remaining for the final whistle.
Credit to Kazma for holding its nerve and knocking down its free throws to end with its first and only win of WASL Final 8.
Earlier through three quarters, Tamil Nadu had to contend with Kazma’s unstoppable center Clint Chapman, who finished with a monster double double of 39 points and 16 rebounds. For India, point guard Arvind Kumar Muthu Krishnan reserved his highest scoring game for last, finishing with 19 points, which was matched by center James Farr. Hafeez was India’s third scorer in double digits, finishing with 18 points, including a perfect 6/6 from the two-point field.
From India’s Group B, Kuwait Club and Shahrdary Gorgan have progressed to the semifinals, where they will be joined by Group A’s Al Riyadi and C.S. Sagesse.
Tamil Nadu (Arvind Kumar Muthu Krishnan 19 pts, James Farr 19 pts, Muin Bek Hafeez 18 pts) lost to Kazma (Clint Chapman 39 pts 16 reb, Travis Leslie 22 pts, Ahmad A GH H M Albaloushi 12 pts 11 reb, Elijah Robinson 14 pts) 96-102 [22-27, 22-26, 19-29, 33-20]
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