Japan enters final

By C. Rajshekhar Rao

NEW DELHI, DEC. 21. As Oga Yuko came in to take the two free throws for Japan, which led 66-65 in extra-time, she signalled to the supporters in the crowd to keep shouting. Like all champion sportspersons, Oga Yuko loves to rise to challenges.

The pivot, ace markswoman and master retriever, all rolled into one, not surprisingly converted both throws, doing a Houdinis act the umpteenth time for her team. The 68-65 verdict over South Korea in an exhilarating semifinal of the Asian junior women's basketball championship will for long be etched in the memories of Oga Yuko, as of all members of her team and those who watched the match. It was not just the throws that she earned with a drive-in, she had set up the previous basket for Tabuchi Asuku as well, which had helped her team overtake the opposition to 66-65. The extra-time had earlier been taken when the scores were level 57-57 at the end of regulation period, the match being extended again courtesy Oga Yuko, who initiated a move with just nine seconds to go, and set up for Taki Nao to score from a zero angle when her team trailed by two points.

Oga Yuko was everywhere on the court. The match was as tight as could be, and she was the one marked by the South Koreans. In the event, Taki Nao, Shigeta Asaki and Hata Eriko got more leeway, but in tight situations, it was Oga Yuko in the spotlight. None could match Oga Yukos speed and curtail her knack to be at the right place at the right time. She was there to take the rebounds off attempts on her own board, was there when any of her compatriots was in dire straits, and she was there to score points.

Probably her skills have led to an over dependence on her. And though she does not mind the hard work, it may not be easy to perform the feat against China.

Earlier, the first semifinal was something of an anti-climax, it not being as evenly fought as one would expect in a match between the defending champion and the previous editions runner-up.

China held sway from early on, and despite not showing any exceptional shooting skills, ran away to a healthy lead in the first session. The match was effectively won by China in the first session itself, at the end of which it was 20 points ahead.

The height advantage of the Chinese gave the players the liberty to shoot without bothering much about retrieving the ball. Chen Nan and Chen Lisha were there to get the ball off the board and also did well in preventing the shorter Chinese Taipei players from scoring with lay-ups. All it took was a gentle tap on the ball as the Taipei players lept towards the ring.

Pivot Yuan Linag played the ball-maker to near perfection, hardly ever going towards the board or taking a shot, the sprightly Bai Xue doing the needful in these departments.

The score moved from 38-18 in the first-half to 65- 35 at close, the Taipei team showing some resilience early in the second session. But the team just did not pack enough power, with the otherwise opportunistic Chang Yi Lein shining in patches. The Chinese defence was just too tight to break into, and neither did it give the opposition time to take chances with three-pointers.

Earlier this morning, India managed to finish ninth, beating Hong Kong convincingly at 73-40, while Malaysia pipped Uzbekistan 49- 48 to take the seventh place.

lThe results : Semifinals : China 65 (Chen Lisha 10) bt Chinese Taipei 35 (Tsai Pei Chen 13); Japan 68 (Oga Yuko 25, Shigeta Asaki 17, Tabuchi Asuki 11) bt South Korea 65 (Kang Youn Mi` 16, Kim Eun Hye 14, Kwak Ju Young 10).

For minor placings : DPR Korea 50 (Kim Mi Ok 14, Kim Hye Ok 14, Jon Kum Hui12) bt Thailand 20 (Paphataku Pimonpan 13) for fifth place; Malaysia 49 (Kew Suik May 14) bt Uzbekistan 48 (Kiseleva Julia 18, Shatrova Kristina 10) for seventh place; India 73 (Anitha 20, Divya Singh 11, Sofi Sam 10) bt Hong Kong 40 (Huang Lai Fong 12).

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Next     : Anand holds on to advantage