Ludhiana, June 17
A warm welcome was accorded to the members of the Punjab basketball teams who gave a stupendous performance in the 55th Junior National Basketball Championship in Chittor, Andhra Pradesh, who reached here today. The cagers were felicitated by the Punjab Basketball Association
(PBA) at a function held at the Guru Nanak Stadium.
Mr Rajdeep Singh Gill, Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal, president and general secretary, respectively,
of the PBA along with other office-bearers of the association were there to greet the hoopsters who had made the state proud. A Punjab Police band was also in
attendance there.
As the players, accompanied by the coaches and officials arrived at the stadium, they were garlanded by Mr Gill and Mr Dhaliwal.
Congratulating the players, Mr Gill said the boys’ team had made sort of history as they
had not only retained the title but also won it for the fifth time in a row. In their title journey, the Punjab boys
proved their supremacy as they faced a little resistance from their rivals in the league as well as the knock out phase encounters. In the final, Punjab
lads drubbed Delhi 81-57 to lift the title.
Mr Dhaliwal praised the coaches and players for their outstanding performance. He further said that the girls team which had failed to enter the final during the last one decade did a commendable by finishing
runner up. In the final, they waged a spirited battle against Chhattisgarh before going down
52-62.
Mr Gill announced the a cash prize of Rs 75,000 would be given to the boys team while the eves would get a cash prize of Rs 50,000.
This, besides mementoes would be given to the players at a function at a later date.
Among others who were present at the
felicitation function included Mr Balkar Singh Brar, general secretary, Punjab Handball Association, Arjuna awardee Sajjan Singh Cheema, Ms Surinder Dhir,
former Deputy Director, Sports Punjab, Olympians Gurdev Singh, Hardeep
Singh ‘Neeta’, sports officers, Mr Amritpal Singh Mavi and Mr Gian Inder Singh.
