Basketball lovers of Mokokchung in collaboration with Basketball Association Mokokchung District organised a basketball exhibition match at Basketball Court, Imkongmeren Sports Complex, on 30 December.
Four men’s teams participated in the exhibition match – Rising Force, Team Nivea, Team 75% and M Warriors. The final match was won by Team Nivea over Team 75% with a score of 69–49.
Two women’s teams, Team Mystic and Team Ignite, took their chances at the exhibition match with Team Ignite winning 24–29 over Team Mystic.
Team Nivea.
Team Mystic and Team Ignite at the exhibition match.
The event also witnessed a three-pointer contest among the men players consisting of both players from the teams and interested members from the audience.
The contest was won by Tiapong scoring three in five shots. The women had a free throw contest which was won by Imkumnaro Ozukum.
The awards for the Most Valuable Player were awarded to Alirenba Aier and Lanunuchetla Longchar.
Lanunechetla Longchar and Alirenba Aier.
A game full of enthusiasm and end to end movement but limited accuracy sums up the matches played on Friday.
Lanunechetla Longchar hosted the event while Imna, associate pastor of Kumlong Baptist Church, pronounced the invocation.
Nagaland Tribune caught up with Lanunechetla Longchar post-match to find out more about the basketball scenario in Mokokchung.
“Every match I play, basketball teaches me that you can never win a championship alone. It’s a team game and you should always put your teammates first,” Longchar said. “Even this exhibition match, our team won only because of team work and trust in each other.”
“Mokokchung Basketball Association was formed just a few years back and over the years, with the guidance of a few seniors who had been playing and representing [the] district and [the] state during their time, basketball is really growing a lot in Mokokchung.
There are lots of talented players both in men’s and women’s team and it isn’t just an association but it was formed by a group of basketball lovers and through them, basketball in Mokokchung is growing a lot and it’s more than just an association. It’s a family where we gather every evening for practice and play and learn from each other.”
Longchar said the women’s basketball team of Mokokchung is also growing slowly with more girls showing interest now compared to the earlier years.
“We have good height and good physique. I believe that with proper coaching and training, we can become much better players and if we continue to work hard and be more consistent then we can give a tough competition to other good districts like Kohima and Dimapur.”
Longchar was part of the women’s team representing Nagaland at the 72nd Senior Nationals North East Basketball Championship 2022 held in September in Mizoram and at the North East Olympics 2022 held in November in Meghalaya.
Lanunechetla Longchar at the 72nd senior nationals North East basketball championship 2022 in Mizoram.
She was also the captain of the women’s basketball team from Mokokchung district at the 2nd Nagaland Olympic & Paralympic Games 2022 held in August this year. The team made it to the semi-finals. In the match for third place, the team lost by one point to Peren district.
“We were all sad because we thought the bronze medal would be ours. Yet, we encouraged one another and we decided that we will work hard and come back stronger,” Longchar said, and summed up the overall experience of representing the district at the Nagaland Olympics as a good one.
“What I would like to request the district is to give the same importance to women in sports and to open at least one academy with proper coaches and guidance.
I believe that Mokokchung district can bring up more female basketball players in town if the females are willing to come forward and if the district gives proper coaching facilities.”
