Asian Games 2023: Recapping spirited journey of Indian women's basketball team

India matched its performance from 2014 with a sixth-place finish.

In the world of sports, where every victory and defeat is etched in history, the journey of India's women's basketball team at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 stands as a testament to both resilience and the weight of expectations. The team, once ranked 57th globally, faced a daunting decline to 67th place due to internal federation issues that prevented their participation in FIBA Asia Cup 2023. This stark decline in rankings set the stage for a comeback story that was marked by both historical context and contemporary challenges.

As the team took to the court in Hangzhou, there were high hopes and expectations from it. However, their journey ended in the quarter-finals, where they faced off against a formidable Korean team. Notably, the average age of the Indian squad was 23.9, underscoring the youthful vigour and promise of the team but also highlighting the experience gap when pitted against seasoned opponents.

The Historical Perspective

India's journey at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the historical context. In the realm of Asian basketball, India has had its moments of glory. The best finish came in 1982 when the Indian women's basketball team secured a remarkable fifth place. This achievement was a testament to the talent and determination of Indian players.

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Fast forward to the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, and India managed a ninth-place finish. However, it was evident that the Indian team had the potential to reach greater heights. The Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 presented an opportunity for India to reclaim its position among Asia's basketball elites, but again we matched our performance from the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea with a sixth-place finish.

Group Stage battles

India's journey in Hangzhou began with a group that pitted them against formidable opponents - Mongolia, Indonesia and basketball powerhouse China. Each game in the group stage was a test of their mettle and a chance to showcase their resurgence.

India vs Indonesia (66-46)

In their opening match, India faced Indonesia, a team ranked 51st globally and ninth in Asia. The Indian team put on an impressive display, securing a convincing victory with a score of 66-46. This win set the tone for India's campaign, and it was evident that they meant business. Pushpa Senthil Kumar started with a double-double by scoring 18 points, ten rebounds and four steals and was on the court for the whole game.

Shireen Limaye, Sanjana Ramesh and Sruthy Rathinavel also scored in double digits. Shireen made all four of her shots from the perimeter. Sruthy Rathinavel got the most boards with 14 rebounds, six of them coming from the offensive side. She also had the highest field goal percentage in the team with 55.6%. The team went into sixth gear in the fourth quarter with 28 points, their highest in a single quarter for the campaign.

India vs Mongolia (68-62)

The second match saw India taking on Mongolia, a team ranked 91st in the world and 18th in Asia. It was a closely contested battle, with India ultimately emerging victorious with a score of 68-62. This hard-fought win highlighted India's ability to hold their ground against lower-ranked opponents. This was the second game where Senthil Kumar played the whole game and posted another double-double with a 30-point game and 12 rebounds. She was the highest scorer in the game.

Anmolpreet Kaur shone in this game with 14 points after seeing very few minutes on the court against Indonesia. Alongside her, Shireen Limaye, Sanjana Ramesh and Sruthy Rathinavel were the only other players who registered points in the game. Madhu Kumari had an abysmal night in terms of shooting but contributed with some assists and rebounds.

India vs China (53-111)

The third match was perhaps the most challenging of the group stage, as India faced China, the world's No. 2 and Asia's No. 1 team. While the scoreline favoured China (53-111), this match provided invaluable experience for the Indian team, exposing them to the highest levels of international competition. The team's star player, Han Xu, might not have been the most dominant, but Yueru Li and Zhenqi Pan lead the charge in India's decimation.

Senthil Kumar's shooting did show a bit of a rise in her percentages, but it wasn't enough to match the defensive prowess of China. Sanjana Ramesh tried her best to support Senthil Kumar with 14 points on 40% FG. Limaye wasn't that great with 5/22 shooting, but she was crucial in getting defensive rebounds. While the plus/minus statistic might consider all of them a liability on the court, their FIC points show their significant contributions.

Finishing second in the group, India had earned their spot in the quarter-finals. However, the journey was getting even tougher as they squared off against Korea.

Quarterfinals - India vs Korea (57-96)

The quarterfinals presented a formidable challenge as India faced off against Korea, a team ranked 86th in the world and 17th in Asia. Despite their best efforts, the Indian team faced a formidable Korean side that proved to be a step too far. The final score stood at 57-96 in favour of Korea, marking the end of India's journey at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023. Sreekala Rani and Madhu Kumari had better FIC than Senthil Kumar in this game, with 37.7 and 38.7 respectively.

At this point, the fatigue got the better of all the top performers of the team, with Senthil Kumar, Limaye, Rathinavel and Ramesh failing to score as they did in the previous matches. That might also have been because of the schemes deployed by the Korean team. This was the game where the bench team scored more. Moreover, we saw Poonam Chaturvedi in action, who is 6ft 11in but listed as 5ft 8in on the official roster uploaded on Asian Games' website.

Conclusion

India's women's basketball team's journey at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 was one of determination, promise and valuable experience. Their return to the international stage, following challenges that caused a decline in rankings, was a testament to their resilience and passion for the game.

Looking at general statistics, our shooting was clearly an issue, with opponents shooting better than us. While we rebounded better defensively with 29.3, our offensive rebounds were 16.3 on average. For other statistical rankings, allowed three-point attempts were the only stat where we ranked first, while in others, we were in midtable.

A bit more reliance on the bench could've helped our starters to contribute in the latter stages of the tournament. India faced formidable opponents and eventually bowed out in the quarter-finals, India's performance showcased their potential for growth and improvement.

The team's youthful energy, combined with experienced players, created a foundation for a brighter future in Asian basketball.