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Jeena PS , Stephy Nixon, Anjanna P G from Kerala State Electricity Board, Poojamol K S from Assumption College Changanacherry and R K Smruthy from Southern Railways Thiruvanthapuram are the Keralites along with Apporva Muaralinath, Indian Railways whose Mother hails from Kerala have found their place in the final 12 of the Senior Women Team for 26th FIBA Asia Championship for Senior women at Wuhan in China from 29th August to 2nd September 2015 This younger team averaging 21-22 years will be headed by the head Coach Francisco Javier Garcia from Spain assisted by Dhyan chand Awardee Aparna Ghosh from Indian Railways and lead by Anitha Paul Durai the Senior Most Player in the side other members are Shirine Limaye(Maharashtra) Rajapriyadarshini (Indian Railways) Sitamani Tudu (Indian Railways ) Kavitha Akula (Chhattisgarh) Bhandavya HM (Karnataka) .India will take on Chinese Taipei on 29th August in their opening encounter . Indian team will be leaving today

For Smruthy this will be her 3rd Championship and for Jeena and Stephy this is the second time that they are Participating in a Senior Asian Championships apart from Senior Asian Games 2014 along with Poojamol KS . For Anjanna this will be her maiden Senior Indian Cap

The team definitely Miss the Service of Arjuna Awardee’ Geethu Anna Rahul (Anna Jose) who came as the top scorer in Asian Championship twice in 2007 at Incheon,2009 in Chennai She was our main player in India in fact we don’t have a real substitute for her till now said Garcia who was coaching this side for the past five weeks. He is the man who led the women’s team to a fifth and the best ever finish in the ABC 2013, He who have to put up a good show despite everything that’s going on around them.

“We would have liked some international exposure,” said Garcia.. but “With the infighting in the national federation going on stronger and stronger and without financial support either from Govt nor from IMG Reliance it hasn’t been easy to arrange any foreign exposure trips they need against women from other countries before the championship . Instead, the team will play against men now. ?We have to make do with what we have.

“We want to play friendlier matches against men mainly because the opponents we will face in Wuhan are physically strong and quick. Here only the men can offer us that level of competition,” the coach added another major problem with the women here is the lack of fitness which we have missing this time with the absence of strength and conditioning coach Tommy Heffelfinger, who played a vital role in keeping the women fit for major tournaments.

But the coach is confident of an impressive finish at the ABC. “Our goal obviously is to stay in Level I. We need to beat Thailand which is ranked one down than us because beating China, Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei is not an easy task as they are from another basketball galaxy

• Jeena hails from Wayand is playing in the centre as well as forward position , came to KSEB from Sports Hostel Kannur and V K Krishnamenon College Kannur represented Senior India in 25th Asian Championship at 2013 in Bangok , 2014 Asian Games in Beiging and Lusofonia Games at Goa
• Stephy Hails from Koratty is playing in the centre position came through Centralised Sports Hostel Kollam and Assumption College Changancherry before Joining KSEB Kannur represented Senior India in 25th Asian Championship at 2013 in Bangok , 2014 Asian Games in Beiging and Lusofonia Games at Goa
• Poojamol hails from Kottayam Playing as the playmaker came through Mount Carmel HSS Kottayam is the Youngest of the lot now Joined Assumption College Changancherry , she Missed the 2nd Camp due to Injury she sustained during the Junior Nationals in Kochi but was called back by Coach Garcia for the final camp Kannur represented Senior India, 2014 Asian Games in Beiging and Lusofonia Games at Goa
• Smruthy hails from Vadakara playing as the forward came through Centralised Sports Hostel in Kollam along with now working in Southern Railway in Chennai Kannur represented Senior India in 24thAsian Senior Championship at Omura Japan ,25th Asian Championship at 2013 in Bangok , Captained 2014 Asian Games in Beiging and Lusofonia Games at Goa
• Anjanna P G who hails from Kollam as the forward came through Centralised Sports Hostel in Kollam was her Maiden appearance

“It is the best 15 in my opinion. We have a good balance for every position.” Coach Garcia said after the final selection. “I didn’t have any trouble with respect to coaching these players. I am focused on working with the team. In Bengaluru, there have been fewer administrative deficiencies
Air Asia will be sponsoring the Indian team’s participation at the event. Basketball Federation of India President Shri K Govindaraj distributed the team kits and thanked Mr Mittu Chandilya, AIR Asia MD and CEO, who personally graced the occasion, for his support to India Basketball. Addressing the players he said, “We all have put in a lot of effort in the training camp. Now it is up to you to bring laurels to the country. I wish all the players, coaches and manager all the best.”

INDIAN SQUAD FOR THE 26TH FIBA ASIA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP 2015

PG – Point Guard / Feeder, G – Guard, F – Forward, G/F – Wing, PF – Power Forward, C – Centre, PF/C – Pivot

• 13. Team Manager: Mr. Rajendar Manthani
• 14. Team Physio: Mr. Radha Krishna Reddy
• 15. Coach: Mr. Francisco Garcia