The 3rd Asian Youth Games 2025 are currently underway in Manama, Bahrain. India have sent a total of 222 athletes to compete in 21 different sports. One of the highlights so far has been the performance of the U16 girls basketball team,competing in the 3×3 format.
The team is led by Viha Reddy Jonnalagadda. The other members includes Mahek Sharma, Reva Amit Kulkarni, and Nethra Birudavolu. All four were members of India’s recent U16 FIBA Asia Cup team. The team is guided by former India captain Anitha Pauldurai, with physiotherapist Reshma Senthilkumar for support.
India’s girls started strongly in the early matches of the tournament. On the opening day, October 24, they defeatedSri Lanka 21-6, Maldives 21-14, and Palestine 21-6. On October 26, they won 21-15 against Mongolia and beat Indonesia 18-15, before losing 9-15 against Thailand by 9-15. With these results, India finished second in Pool B and earned a spot in the quarterfinals, against Iran on October 27.
The 3×3 basketball competition had 14 teams divided into two groups, with the top four teams from each qualifying for theknockout rounds. China, Iran, Chinese Taipei and Kazakhstanqualified from Pool A, while Pool B saw Thailand, India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka progress.
What is 3×3 Basketball?
3×3 basketball is a faster and smaller version of regular basketball. Instead of five players, each team has three on the court, with one substitute. There is only one hoop for both the teams, and each side has only 12 seconds to take a shot after gaining possession. Shots inside the arc are one point, while shots made from beyond the arc fetch two. The game is fast-paced, and finishes in 10 minutes or when a team scores 21 points.
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