2013 FIBA Asia Championship: India caps day two with show of force versus Thailand

(Updated 12:16am) India dominated Thailand in their Group D match, 89-65 in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, early Saturday morning, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

A day after getting ambushed by Bahrain in overtime, Narender Grewal posted 24 points and six rebounds, while Vishesh Bhriguvanshi tallied 20 points and eight boards, as the one-two punch of the Indian attack.

Joginder Singh added 13 points and four assists.

In the first quarter, India took advantage of their taller front court, as Amritpal Singh and Vishesh Bhriguvanshi got easy baskets, while undisciplined play by Thailand saw them trail 27-13 after the first period.

Kannut Samerjai jolted Thailand early in the second quarter, draining consecutive triples to cut their deficit to single digits. Wuttipong Dasom chipped in another triple in the ensuing 11-5 run, but Thailand couldn't sustain the perimeter-driven attack.

Narender Grewal then scored eight points in a 10-2 run for India, as turnover points drove the margin up, 40-26.

With two minutes left in the first half, a Dasom bucket gave Thailand their second field goal in the last six minutes. But they were unable to pull off the rally, as layups by Satnam Bhamara and Grewal set an imposing halftime lead, 46-30.

A Grewal three-pointer pushed the lead to 20 points in the third quarter, 53-33. Wacharapong Tongsri replied with a muffed three-point play, which was the only highlight Thailand enjoyed for the rest of the period. India kept their lead, going up by as much as 23 points, en route to a 67-45 buffer heading into the fourth.

Dasom cut the lead to 15 points early in fourth, capping an 8-1 run, 68-53. But after an India timeout just three minutes into the frame, Grewal put an end to that with a driving layup, and Joginder Singh added a triple on the next play en route to restoring a 20-something cushion until time expired.

Wittipung Dasom was the only Thai in double-digit scoring with 10 points and six rebounds.

India converted 33-of-81 (41 percent) of their field goals, while Thailand were 26-of-68 (38 percent). Inda crushed Thailand with a 42-16 advantage in points in the paint, and an 18-2 mark in second-chance points.

In today's other Group D game, Kazakhstan beat Bahrain in overtime, 79-77. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

India 89 - Grewal 24, Bhriguvanshi 20, Joginder Singh 13, Amritpal Singh 9, Amjyot Singh 8, Bharama 6, Kaushik 3, Pethani 2, Yadwinder Singh 2, A. Singh 1, Pratham Shingh 1, Kadam 0

Thailand 65 - Darunpong Apiromvilaichai 10, Klahan 9, Kongkum 8, Suttisin 7, Tongsri 7, Lertmalaiporn 6, Darongpan Apiromvilaichai 6, Lertlaokul 4, Dasom 4, Klaewnarong 2, Ghogar 2, Samerjai 0

Quarter scoring: 27-13, 46-30, 67-45, 89-65