City girls gun for glory
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Putting together perhaps, the best basketball action for kids in the city in a long time, the ongoing Mahindra NBA Challenge has been a runaway success. A tournament which NBA coaches and former players Marty Conlon, Troy Justice and Greg Stolt have lauded for its potential to produce fresh talent, the league has also given rise to youngsters making it to the national team.
City girls Sagarika Shyam and Kruthika Lakshman are two upcoming players to watch out for. While the former was part of the U-18 Indian team that finished sixth at the FIBA Asian Championship at Surat Thani, Thailand in June, Kruthika will be gunning for greater glory as she prepares to represent the country at the Asian Games in China in November.
“Preparations are at its best. The three-month national camp is still on in Indore and I was supposed to leave for it three days ago. I came because I had two pending exams and missing a semester is equal to missing a year,” said Kruthika.
Optimistic on a good show at the Games, the 20-year-old saw a formidable Asian threat as the biggest obstacle in their path. “China, Japan and Korea are very experienced and beating them will be one of our biggest challenges at the Games. Having said that, the team has been consistent in practice and I believe we stand a good chance,” said the 5”10 forward.
Former India player Jayvanthi, who coaches Kruthika, said the latter’s aggressiveness and shooting skills was her biggest forte. “She is a very aggressive player and has good shooting skills. Once she gets the rhythm right then no one can match her. The only thing is she needs to work more on building stamina which is crucial for her kind of game,” she said.
Sagarika, who impressed peers with her speed and defence on the court during the Thailand tourney, said she aimed to improve her shooting and more importantly, emulate her mother Jayvanthi. “I feel I’m much better than her,” quipped Jayvanthi. “But on a serious note, I think she has the potential to become a good player.”
NBA coach Greg Stolt believes both Kruthika and Sagarika have the necessary skills to be competitive. But at the international level, more hard work is required. “Every player needs improvement. If you look at the best players in the world, they are constantly looking for the edge, constantly aiming to get better. When it comes to playing at the international level against the Europeans and Americans, consistency is a major factor,” he said.
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