KAZ / MAS - Kazakhs make Level I grade; Malaysia remain in top division

MEDAN (FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women) - Kazakhstan mauled India and Malaysia warded off a late Philippines rally in the Level I play-off games at the FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women on Sunday.

An eight-point surge in the final ten seconds of the first half spurred Level II toppers Kazakhstan to an 84-67 and Malaysia capitalized on their rivals' errors in the closing ten seconds of the game to eke out a 70-69 result.

Having trailed right through, Philippines went into the lead for the first time (69-68), with 2:13 left in the game, when Raiza Palmera scored from the paint.

But unfortunately, the young forward was to commit two errors - one a travelling violation and another a foul - to pave the way for Malaysia to post the narrow win.

Malaysia had managed to level the scores, when Wong Mei Chyn converted one of the two free-throws resulting from an Agatha Asterero foul.

And when Philippines played the ball in, Raiza committed the travelling violation.

Off the return play, she fouled Pang Hui Pin. The latter succeeded with only one free-throw, but that was all left for on the clock.

"It turned out tougher than we expected," said Malaysia coach Choo Seck Yun heaving a sigh of relief.

"It was our game to lose. We were on the verge of losing it rather than they beating us," she said.

A three-point play by Nina Mashtakova gave Kazakhstan their first lead of the game - from 37-38 to 40-38 - with about 15 seconds left in the first half.

Tamara Seregina followed it up with a success in the lane and Oxana Ivanova stole the ball to fire in from the center-line to take Kazakhstan into the changing rooms 45-38 ahead.

Seregina, who scored 12 points in the first half added another 20 in the second to top score the game with 32 points and Kazakhstan never looked back.

India, in contrast, withered under pressure and finished winless in the championship.

Sonika Ohlyan scored 20 of her team-high 22 points in the first half and Stephy Nixon copped four personal fouls towards the end. With the two taller players thus nullified, India struggled to regain their early rhythm.

"This (promotion to Level I) means a lot to Kazakhstan women's basketball. And the girls were aware of the big occasion beckoning them," Kazakhstan coach Larissa Budnik beamed.

"We had done our homework on the Indians and the girls just carried out the plan very well," she said.

Budnik also express satisfaction in the overall performance of the team.

"I always thought Kazakhstan belonged to the Level I, not only in terms of the performance but also in terms of standards. Now, I think the time has to come test that belief," she said.

Scores

Malaysia 70 (Hui Pin Pang 35, Kalaimathi Rajintiran 18) bt Philippines 69 (Katherine Sandel 19, Raiza Palmera 15). Quarterwise Scores: 20-14, 37-27, 56-63.

Kazakhstan 84 (Tamara Seregina 32, Zoya Demidenko 13) bt India 67 (Sonika Ohlyan 22, Pratima Singh 17). Quarterwise Scores: 16-21, 45-38, 65-49.

S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia