NAGPUR: Harsh Dagar and Pranav Prince played well in tandem as the 67th-ranked Indian outfit sent world No. 37 Philippines packing from the 3x3 Asia Cup basketball tournament in Singapore on Thursday.
In the last qualifying game, Dagar and Prince shared 16 points as India surprised Philippines 21-11 with 1.13 minutes left on the clock. Unlike his heroics of converting long-range baskets, Dagar scored from the paint and emerged as India's leading scorer for the third consecutive game with 10 points.
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India’s lanky athletic guard Pranav Prince played a pivotal role with six points and a handful of rebounds. Kushal Singh (3) and Arvind Muthu (2) scored timely baskets.
The experienced Philippines outfit, ranked 30 rungs above the young Indian cagers, implemented a tight two-man defence on Dagar. Prince stepped up early, scoring all four points in the opening two minutes.
The Philippines’ defensive strategy paid dividends as they took a 6-4 lead. With the Philippines shifting their focus to Prince, Dagar reduced the lead with a four-meter jump shot, making it 5-6. He followed it up with a steal and assist to Arvind Muthu, who brought India ahead (7-6) with his lone two-pointer from the arc.
Strong defending by India in the subsequent three minutes prevented Philippines from scoring, allowing India to establish a 9-6 advantage. India controlled the proceedings thereafter, ultimately securing a 21-11 victory with over a minute remaining.
In the main draw, the 18th-seeded India team is placed in a tough group with second-seeded China and seventh-ranked Chinese Taipei. The top two teams qualify for the quarterfinals.
The Indian women’s team crashed out of the Asia Cup after they lost their second game to Chinese Taipei 13-17. Later in the evening, the Indian girls outplayed Guam 21-12, with Sreekala Rani emerging as the top scorer with 13 points.
