Geethu Anna Jose - "Every time I enter the court, I want to play the best game of my life"

It's the first quarter of the Women's Final of the National Championship, the biggest basketball competition in India. A large crowd has come this cold, January afternoon to watch the hosts Delhi taking on their arch-nemesis, Indian Railways in the Final. Railways has defeated Delhi in the final of the Nationals for eight straight years, and they again boast the tournament's most formidable team, going undefeated and beating their opponents by over 50 points in each game. But this Delhi squad is going to be tricky; backed by strong home support and featuring superstars such as Prashanti Singh, Akanksha Singh, Shiba Maggon, and Raspreet Sidhu, this was going to be no cakewalk.

But the star of the show as Railways' six-foot-two center, Geethu Anna Jose, attracting attention from fans and opponents alike. India's finest basketball player was aiming for her seventh consecutive national title; her first as team captain.

But the game wasn't turning out the way Geethu had imagined. "When I had gone out, I wanted to score 50," she admitted, "But I missed three easy shots in the first quarter and started feeling the pressure. People say that ‘Nobody in India can stop Geethu', but I wasn't living up to those expectations in the game. I was letting them down in the Final! I was embarrassed and just wanted to sit on the bench."

It was Geethu's Railways and India teammate, Anitha P., who finally got the superstar to relax at halftime. "She told me to approach the third quarter like the first, to start all over again. After that, I was able to realise my mistakes, start improving, and played a completely bindaas, cool game."

Those who don't deal with the heady expectations that Geethu Anna Jose has put on herself may not realise her context through just her words. She reached double digits even in that ‘embarrassing' first half. She finished with her personal tournament-high of 29 points by the end, playing ‘bindaas'. Railways routed Delhi by 40 points in the final, 95-55. The team won each game by an average of 55.9 points each. Their closest game was a 37 point semi-final victory over Chhattisgarh; their biggest win was against Punjab in the quarter-final, by 101 points. It was Railways' eight straight crown; Geethu's seventh.

"I was surprised that it was such a one-sided game in the end," she says, "I looked at the score-sheet later and was shocked to see that I was the top scorer!"

Seven straight victories, but somehow, Geethu still manages to stay motivated for the National Championships. "This is the toughest competition in India and the one I enjoy playing the most. Yes, we have been winning a lot, but this is one tournament with so much talent that I believe that anyone can defeat us if we don't play hard. The victory in the final felt sweet because Delhi was a talented team that had been playing very well. I was especially happy to see that all the players in our squad played well in this championship." Apart from Geethu, players like Anitha P., Anju Lakara, and Renjini Peter stepped up big time for the champions.

"There is no problem with motivation," Geethu adds, "I want to improve myself in every single game. Every time I step on the basketball court, I want it to be the best game of my life. I want to become a better scorer and a better player."

It is perhaps this hunger for improvement that has Geethu wishful for tougher competition. Standing taller than most other opponents she faces, she believes that better defenses will get the best out her. "I want to test myself against other big players to see if I can face that challenge. In Australia, I face tall girls all the time, but there are not too many other tall opponents in the basketball scene in India. I hope that players with good size can be developed in the next generation of Indian players."

There has been no bigger basketball player in India - in stature, and in the Women's division case, in size - than Geethu. Born in the city of Kottayam in Kerala, Geethu, still only 25, has already had a legendary career. She started playing basketball at age 11, idolising the former Indian captain Ivy Cherian as a youngster. After representing Kerala in her youth, she was brought in to play for Southern Railways. The high-point of her career came when she became the first Indian to play professional basketball in Australia - Geethu was picked by the Ringwood Hawks, a lower division team in the Australian WNBL (Women's National Basketball League). Her potential realised, Geethu dominated in Australia, even winning the Most Valuable Player award of the league in 2008.

But her time in Australia was no trade-off for success back home. Geethu led the Indian National Team to new highs in tournament's in Thailand, Vietnam, the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia, the 2009 FIBA Asia Women's Championship in Chennai, and the recently concluded Asian Games in China, where the Indian basketball team featured for the first time in 28 years. In a young, steadily improving team, Geethu emerged as undisputed leader, winning top scorer, top rebounder, top blocker, and most valuable player honours in many of the tournaments she took part in. She was named India's captain for the FIBA Asia Championship.

It was the Commonwealth Games experience in Australia when Geethu first faced her on-court idol, Lauren Jackson. Jackson, an Australian, is one of the best women players on the planet. India faced Australia in their very first game, which resulted in a massive loss for India. "Jackson is the best," Geethu gushes, "She scored 40 points in 20 minutes, and I became a fan ever since!"

Fast forward four years, and Geethu and the rest of the National squad faced their toughest challenge as they headed to China for the Asian Games in November. Led for the first time by an American coach - former WNBA player Tamika Raymond - India's inexperience proved to be their downfall. India played against Asia's finest, and the tournament's two best teams, in their first two games - China and South Korea - and were blown out by each one. Their confidence shattered, the team went on to lose their final game too, against a relatively easier Thailand squad. India made a big comeback against the Thais, but Geethu noted that their opponents' zone defense in the end exposed India's inconsistent outside shooting.

"We really have to improve our game in India," Geethu lamented, "Yes, we may not have height, but we must harness our speed and our shooting ability to get the best out of the team. Each time a player puts on an India jersey, they have to find out some way to improve themselves so that they can be responsible for representing India the right way."

Still, the future is bright for the game in India. The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has received sponsorship from IMG-Reliance, who have been helping develop leagues and have handed a bonus honorarium payment to India's best players. Geethu and seven others were part of the top category of players handed this honorarium.

"Now that we're getting paid, there are no more excuses and no one to blame," she jokes, "We just have to perform now. India still has a long way to go - the youngsters need improved coaching and improved knowledge of the game's fundamentals. A foreign coach like Tamika cannot make miracles happen in three to six months, and a good team cannot be formed if the players aren't always playing together. We need consistent good coaching and we need team unity to improve. It's a long-term process."

From Shiba Maggon, the Singh Sisters, Geethu's Railways' teammate Anitha P., TN's Kokila, and Maharashtra bigs like Shireen, Geethu is optimistic of the talent in India - it is the experience of big games that she feels will bring out the best potential out of these players. "If we have more small international tournaments in India, inviting squads which are closer to us in quality, we will not only learn more from them but also generate a lot of hype amongst fans for basketball in India," she says.

But her personal ambitions are higher, and further. Currently mulling over another offer to go back to Australia to the Hawks, Geethu is holding back optimistically as she hopes to get a try-out with the WNBA, the world's finest Women's basketball league. "I don't know if I can make it, but I want to try. It will be a big step if an Indian can even get a trial with the WNBA."

Geethu doesn't mince words about her growing legend. She has been India's best-known name in basketball for the better half of the last decade, and has admitted that although the pressure sometimes gets to her, the fame certainly doesn't. "It was great being recognised in China and elsewhere as a well-known basketball player - that is the feeling that basketball players should receive in India too, because they're superstars in their own right."

"Like the National Championships, there are great expectations of me from both fans and opponents when I play, and I have to change my attitude to be able to deal with it," she confesses, "On the court, there are no friendships, no Didis - It's my game, I'm the killer on court."

So, can anyone in India stop Geethu Anna Jose? "Of course!" she laughs, "I can be stopped very easily." After a pause, she adds, "But I won't reveal how!"

Anitha P. Won't Back Down

The Delhi Commonwealth Games may have missed out on a basketball tournament, but four years ago, the competition took place at the Games in Melbourne. Back in March 2006, the Indian Women’s team were baptised by fire in their very first game, as they played in the preliminary round against Australia, the hosts and the strongest team in the world. Australia made full use of their squad’s experience at the international level, and boasted by Lauren Jackson, one of the greatest women players in the world, they made mincemeat of the Indian team. The Australians went on to clinch the gold medal at the competition.

But during that blowout victory, the Indian eves, however outmatched, showed their bravest face against the world’s best. Leading the squad was a confident 21-year-old youngster that dared to challenge the world’s best player in her own court. Lauren Jackson (6 foot 4 in) may have scored 41 easy points against India, but the young and undersized forward Anitha Pauldurai (5 foot 6 in) from the Indian side didn’t back down, playing a game-high 36 minutes and leading her team with 21 points.

Four years later, Anitha remembers that game against Jackson as one of the most memorable nights of her life. Considering the way this 25-year-old has evolved her game, she can be sure that there will many more nights like that to come.


Anitha, a resident of Chennai, started playing basketball at the age of 11, but admits that early on, she wasn’t a fan of the sport. “I used to like volleyball and athletics more,” she said, “But when I was in school, the basketball coach recommended that I try the game. The more I played, the more interested I became in the sport.”

As she kept improving and working her way up the ranks, Anitha was also lucky enough to be part of a family that supported her ambitions. Her father, a retired police head-constable, gave her the green light early to do ‘whatever she liked’, and Anitha didn’t look back. “I didn’t really have a role model in the game,” Anitha said, “I just love sport and love to play. I joined the game of basketball, got good coaching, and so I continued.”

After years of success, Anitha now finds herself as in integral part of the Indian Sr. Women’s Team that is heading to Guangzhou, China, to take part in the 2010 Asian Games. The team is being coached by the former WNBA player and American head coach Tamika Raymond, who has seen great potential in the Tamil Nadu girl.

Anitha’s unique skill-set ensures that she can become a devastating weapon for India. She plays the small forward position in the team, or the “three” – but has the ability to control the ball and play point guard as well. This ability to switch between positions, her skill to drive in and attack the basket, and her high shooting percentage, all add up to create a great all-round player.


The team has spent the past month working with Raymond in Chennai, and is now ready to head out to China for the Asian games, which are set to kick off on November 12th. “I’m very happy to have Coach Raymond working with us,” says Anitha. “Her coaching style is very different. We know we are many years behind the world’s best, so we’re working hard with her to catch up. Our practices have been shorter, but extremely intense.”

The Women’s team is still searching for an identity, but Anitha hopes that a few practice games before the real tournament kicks off will help each player understand their role. Anitha is already looking forward to the challenge that the Indians can pose. “We have some good players,” she said, “Geethu has the potential to be in the WNBA. The rest of the squad is a young, exciting team. What they lack in experience they make up by aggression!”

Anitha seems to be the perfect archetype of the aggressive, confident, young Indian player. Her favourite move, she says, is to slash and drive in to the basket, wading by two or three defensive players, and scoring. She dreams of looking opponents in the eye and driving to score past them.

Be it competition like China, Korea, and Thailand that the Indian Women’s team will face in Guangzhou, or Lauren Jackson, the world’s best, one thing is for sure: Anitha P. won’t back down!

How to suppress your superstars - 101

If you have been keeping up with Indian basketball, then you would no doubt be familiar with the name Geethu Anna Jose. The 24-year-old captain of the Indian Women's National team is the most talented basketball player in the country and one of the best in all of Asia.

And if you have really been following recent basketball news in India, you would have heard about the recent atrocity committed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOC), who barred Geethu from playing in a professional league in Australia.

From TimesNow.TV:

In yet another incident that has shamed Indian sports, top basketball player Geethu Anna Jose has being barred from playing in a professional League in Australia. Geethu has been invited by Ringwood Hawks a professional basketball club based in Australia to represent their side in the league.

The club wants Geethu to join the team as early as the February 15 and stay back till the league ends in August.
However, the Indian Olympic Association has denied permission since Geethu is also the captain of the Indian women's Basketball team. According to the explanation given by the IOA, the Basketball Federation of India is supposed to organise a National camp during the same time.
But, Geethu believes that having participated in the Australian league before, another stint there will prepare her better for the Asian Games rather than attending a national camp.
She said, "I am so unhappy that my country is not allowing me to participate in the Australian League. I have written to the Basketball Federation but they have not given me any permission. I am still hoping that they will change their mind. I am sure that I will be able to play for the Australian League between February and August, come back to India, prepare for 3 months and play the Asian Games."

She is absolutely right! The hopes of all those involved in promoting basketball in India lie on building on the successes of talented, marketable individuals. Geethu is exactly that. She was the top scorer for the FIBA Women's Asian Basketball Championships in Chennai in November. She has already played three seasons with the lower league Ringwood Hawks (the only Indian to ever play pro in Australia), bagging a league MVP award in 2008. She was even selected to play for the Dandenong Rangers, which is a top-division WNBL team in Australia, but "personal reasons" kept her from ever suiting up for them.

Geethu's big break came during the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, where she turned heads in an otherwise-lowly Indian squad, putting up an impressive and eye-catching performance. The Indian Women finished sixth.

The young girl (did I mention she's just 24!) has serious skills: if it is marketable stars are what we claim we need, then we don't need to look any further than this talented Kerelan. Letting Geethu have success and acclaim abroad, and then welcoming her back with support by the media, the IOC, and the BFI support will help put a face to the sport in India, just like Saina Nehwal did for Badminton, Sania Mirza did for Tennis, and PT Usha did for Track & Field.

Obviously, playing at a higher, more competitive level will only benefit Geethu as a growing player. She still has potential to be better, and as she said in her statement above, she will have three months after the season in Australia to return home and prepare for the November Asian Games in China.



Earlier, in an interview for The Hindu, Geethu even went as far as saying, "I’ve started modelling too in a small way... Earlier, the game was glamorous, now we have to be glamorous to attract the crowd and sponsors."

It is a pity that India's most talented basketball player had to say these words, but when the system works in such a nonsensical way, can we really question her?

To the Olympic Associations around the world, if you're watching, then learn: this is how to suppress a superstar talent.

Also published on SportsKeeda.com