Doha, May 17 (IANS) Indian women beat Mongolia 21-14 to win the gold medal at the inaugural FIBA Asia 3×3 basketball event here.
The team with Geethu Anna Jose at the vanguard of their challenge won the three play-off games without breaking much sweat Thursday.
India won all their three games reaching the 21-point mark with ample time left on the clock in each of their games.
“We achieved what we set out for,” said Jose, who was an overwhelming favourite in the All Stars nominations.
Jose was at the vanguard, but the rest of the Indian members indeed had their share in the victory – first for India in FIBA Asia events. India had won the gold at the Asian Beach Games at Haiyang last year.
Anitha Pauldurai was as crafty as ever in marshalling the resources and puncturing holes in the rival defence with her outside shooting and Manisha Dange gave a good account of herself in her comeback to international competitions with Pratima Singh providing the needed support.
Mongolia and Turkmenistan, the other two medallists, went through bitter-sweet moments each in the opposite order.
Mongolia were gung-ho on beating Turkmenistan in the semifinals, despite playing with only two players – the other two having ejected four fouls apiece – but when it came to the gold medal game they found the experience and expertise of the Indian line-up a bit too hot to handle.
Turkmen women, on the other hand, were visibly distraught after losing to Mongolia, but their moment of joy for the day came in the bronze medal play-off.
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