NAGPUR women’s fine run in the tournament ended with a heartbreak as they went down to Mumbai South West in a close semi-final while Nagpur men lost to Mumbai Central in a high-scoring last-four game at DKM court on Thursday. Nagpur women conceded a huge lead in the first quarter but bounced back in the second only to lower guard once again in the third quarter. The final score read 57-48 with break-up of scores being 20-9, 14-20, 14-7, 9-12. Mumbai South West’s Nisha Sharma (28) was unstoppable scoring points after points, Riya Kunghadkar and Nandana supported with identical 10 tens each. For hosts, Gunjan Mantri (17), Siya Deodhar (13) and Dhara Phate (11) scored in double digits. In the other semis, Mumbai South East pipped Pune to make it an all Mumbai women’s final. In men’s semis, Mumbai Central got the better of Nagpur 100-85.

 

The visitors opened up a 13-point lead in the opening quarter and kept the pressure. City boys matched them in the third quarter but it was too little and too late. Quarter-wise scored read 24-11, 26-17, 23-24, 33-27. Mumbai’s Subin Vel (33) and Yash Shetty (21), and Nagpur’s Tanuk Gurnule (27), Sonu Kumar (18), Saurabh Mankar (10) and Yash Jivtode (10) played well. In other semis, Pune beat Mumbai South East 69-67. On Friday: 3.30pm: Nagpur vs Pune (women’s third place); 4.30pm: Nagpur vs Mumbai South East (men’s third place); 6pm: Mumbai South East vs Mumbai South West (women’s final); 7 pm: Mumbai Central vs Pune (men’s final) at DKM court.