Amjyot Singh (IND)
14/07/2014
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IND/CHN - India claim historic win over China

WUHAN (5th FIBA Asia Cup) - Call it the shock of the 5th FIBA Asia Cup, or the result heard round the world.

International basketball minnows India stunned hosts China in Wuhan on Sunday, 65-58, for their first-ever triumph against the Asian giants.

Pratham Singh and Amjyot Singh poured in 13 points apiece for India, and Vishesh Bhriguvanshi weighed in with 10.

"I don't know what to say, because this has never happened before,"  Bhriguvanshi told FIBAAsia.net.

"But we certainly deserved to win. We worked hard for this."

After the Preliminary Round Group A game, India's players gathered on the court to celebrate, with plenty of clinched fists punching the air in jubilant scenes.

It was a triumph to savor.

China, who suffered a Quarter-Final elimination at the hands of Chinese Taipei last year at the FIBA Asia Championship, are not the force they once were.

Even so, they have a tradition of winning that goes back a long way, and they have played in numerous FIBA World Championships and Olympic Games over the years.

The Chinese, whose coach is Wang Huaiyu, are No. 12 in the FIBA Ranking Men compared to No. 61 for India.

Add to that the fact that India had lost their opener at the FIBA Asia Cup to Japan, 75-52, and China had beaten Indonesia and Iran in their first two games, and it is safe to say that no one saw the Indians' victory over the Chinese coming.

Only last year, at the continental championship in the Philippines, China blew away India 79-45.

Bhriguvanshi, who played 35 minutes of that encounter in Manila and had a disconsolate look after, was in a very different mood following Sunday's victory in Wuhan.

He was elated just as all the other India players were.

Scott Fleming, the India coach, claimed the result should not be viewed as a shock.

"I'm not surprised at all," he said. "Full marks to the players for holding it together.

"I think it's an overdue win for India and there's no way anyone can take the credit away from the boys."

India will be hoping to build on the success as the FIBA Asia Cup continues.

For full coverage of the event, go to http://wuhan2014.fibaasia.net/.

FIBA