Foul play costs St Mary's School

It was a clash of the titans when JN Petit took on St Mary's in the 4th Vasantrao Limaye Memorial under-13 Basketball Championship, at the Dastur court here on Tuesday.

Though the teams were well matched on the paper, and in their skills, it was debutants JN Petit who had the last laugh as they huffed and puffed before prevailing 49-42 to enter into the semi-finals of the Championship.

Petit boys who are yet to make their presence felt in this version of the game were ahead in the first three quarters. However, in the fourth quarter St Mary's who have many laurels under their belt came back sharply, and after ebbing seven points down they levelled the score (41-41) with 2 minutes and 42 seconds to go for the final whistle. But, casualty to three of their top players (five fouls) in the last quarter, and they had to play 2 minutes and 42 seconds with four players let them off the hooks and they gave up the fight. Parth Khtaral, Rohan Menon and Rohan Bhide were the players who had to leave the field pre-matured with five fouls each.

"They played very well, but the luck favoured us in the last two minutes when their three players were out of action," said the Petit's coach DK Mali who has been with the team for over six years. "It was the team effort and the credit should go to the entire team," summed the former national basketball player from the Indian Navy.

It was St Mary's who moved the score when Rohan Bhide found the basket from close, but Petit hit back Swraj Jadhav and from then the latter were always ahead.

At the end of the first quarter the score read 14-10 in favour of JN Petit's.

"It was not our day," said Arun Chopadia, the Mary's coach. He was right, as the boys who were good in finding the net were off colour and missed even close calls. The ball refused to penetrate on many occasions.

In the other quarterfinal, Loyola's defeated New Youngsters.

DNA Correspondent/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication