Akanksha Singh Basketball has won the 18U title at the 15th Asia Pacific Cup in Singapore. ASB is the first Indian team in the tournament’s history to win a championship.
Unbeaten in the pool
ASB won all three pool games, against WABA (West Australian Basketball Association), Fastbreak Basketball (Singapore) and SHSID Stallions (China). The team went into the knockout stage as the first seed, the first Indian team ever to do so.
Two knockout wins in one day
The quarterfinal against Swisherr’s (Tasmania) and a semi-final rematch with WABA were played on the same day. ASB won both by more than 20 points.
The final: ASB 54, Titans of Singapore 47
The final at UWCSEA’s East Campus was against Titans of Singapore, the defending champions. The game was close into the second half, when pressure defence and repeated attacks at the rim opened up a 49–37 lead. Titans fought back, but ASB’s long-range shooting and rim protection held for a 54–47 win.
The squad
Guards Shekhar Rathee and Irfan N led the scoring for an eight-player squad. Forward Anshul Sai, guards Vir Amba, Aarush Goyal, Armaan Sandeep and Shaylan Dua, and Shresth Jain, the team’s only centre, completed the rotation.
Coaches: Puneeth Chandra (Head Coach), Manoj Singh, Nityn Bulchandani and Divya Singh.
Four years in the making
“When we decided to compete in the Asia Pacific Cup more than four years ago, it began a development journey that gave our students the exposure and clarity to become athletes who can win against international teams. ASB has competed every year since, growing our development programmes and our students’ belief in what they can achieve.
Every one of these eight athletes is a product of years of training at ASB. This title is proof that sustained domestic and international exposure can produce Indian players who win at this level.”
— Nityn Bulchandani, Co-founder, Akanksha Singh Basketball
About the Asia Pacific Cup
The Asia Pacific Cup is organised twice a year in Singapore and Malaysia by Fastbreak Basketball Singapore. Each edition draws more than 130 teams from over 13 countries. In recent years teams from Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines have dominated the podium.
In the press: Ekalavyas: Akanksha Singh Basketball wins U18 title
Want to play for an ASB travel squad? Selection for the next Asia Pacific Cup runs through the academy. Apply for squad selection or book a free trial.