India hand Palestine first taste of defeat

CHANGSHA-HUNAN (2015 FIBA Asia Championship) - Palestine ran out of gas in the fourth quarter as India pulled out a 73-70 win in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship’s second round.

It was a back-and-forth affair for much of the game, with both teams exchanging runs. Even until the final buzzer, Palestine had a chance as Jamal Abu-Shamala stole the ball off an inbound pass and very nearly hit a potential game-tying three-point shot.

It was a battle of big threes with Palestine’s Abu-Shamala, Sani Sakakini, and Imad Qahwash finding their match in India’s Amjyot Singh, Amrit Pal Singh, and Vishesh Bhriguvanshi. Amjyot had the biggest game of them all, though, and was able to lead India to only their second win in four starts.

He got able support from Bhriguvanshi’s 17 points, while Amrit Pal added 14 points and 9 rebounds. Palestine was led by Sani Sakakini’s 23-point, 12-rebound effort, while Jamal Abu-Shamala and Salim Sakakini had 21 and 16 points respectively. Qahwash finished with only 5 points, but he handed out 9 assists.

Turning Point: Palestine last helf the lead, 61-60, at the 4:40 mark of the fourth period before India went on a 9-2 spurt punctuated by a nasty Amjyot Singh put-back slam dunk that gave them a 6-point cushion with under a minute to go. Abu-Shamala made a couple more shots to stay within striking distance, but his squad eventually fell short.

Stats Don't Lie: Palestine ruled the boards, outrebounding India, 49-38, but this was offset by their 17 turnovers. India also converted more points in the paint, 34-26. Nobody outside of Abu-Shamala made a three-point basket for Palestine, with the rest of the team going 0-of-9.

Game Hero: Amjyot Singh really stamped his class in this match. He exploded for 32 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He also hit three times from beyond the arc and played all but one minute of the game. Amjyot has certainly transitioned from up-and-coming player to breakout star for the Indians.

The Bottom Line: This was a huge game for India as they needed a win to significantly pad their chances of making the next round. Now they have a 1-win, 2-losses record, while pulling Palestine down to 2-wins and 1 loss. Next up for India is Hong Kong, whom they should get past with ease, while things get even tougher for Palestine as Japan awaits tomorrow.

FIBA