By A Correspondent
Patna: The Karnataka girls’ team and the Uttar Pradesh boys’ team clinched gold medals in the basketball events of the Khelo India Youth Games 2025. However, their paths to victory were notably different. The matches were held on Thursday at the Patliputra Sports Complex Indoor Stadium.
The Karnataka girls dominated their final against Haryana, showcasing superiority in all aspects of the game. In contrast, the boys’ final was a tight, low-scoring contest where both teams were evenly matched. Uttar Pradesh managed to edge past Rajasthan by delivering crucial scores at decisive moments.
Nidhi Umesh’s excellent shooting gave Karnataka the upper hand, while captain Nidhi Srinivas played a key playmaker role and added points with lay-up shots. Mahek Sharma contributed significantly with 21 rebounds (seven of them offensive) and valuable points, strengthening the team’s performance.
Haryana relied heavily on a few players. Captain Kaafi had to create and convert scoring opportunities on her own. Although Bhumi Kataria played aggressively, the team’s lack of shooting accuracy and a weak bench proved costly.
The Uttar Pradesh boys displayed cohesive teamwork. Players like Sanjay Mahakumbh and Anuj Diwakar stepped up during critical moments. At the end of the third quarter, Sanjay’s steal and subsequent score gave Uttar Pradesh a 47-44 lead.
In the final quarter, both star players from Uttar Pradesh landed a three-pointer each, making it hard for Rajasthan to make a comeback. Frequent fouls by Rajasthan handed Uttar Pradesh several free throws, which turned out to be the match-winning factor.
For the second consecutive year, Rajasthan had to settle for the silver medal — last year, they lost to Tamil Nadu in Chennai. Once again, they lacked a dependable scorer who could shoulder responsibility in tough situations or shoot consistently.
Results:
Boys (Final):
Uttar Pradesh 68 (Anuj Diwakar 19, Jatin 17, Sanjay Mahakumbh 15) beat Rajasthan 57 (Lokesh Kumar Sharma 16, Chetan 11)
Half-time Score: 31-30
Bronze Medal Match: Tamil Nadu beat Delhi 90-69
Girls (Final):
Karnataka 86 (Nidhi Umesh 27, Mahek Sharma 21, Nidhi Srinivas 17, Shravani Shivanna 10) beat Haryana 61 (Kaafi 22, Bhumi Kataria 22, Vaishnavi 13)
Half-time Score: 46-25
Bronze Medal Match: Punjab beat Maharashtra 68-63
