[1]Sunny Thomas felt the adrenaline rush, watching visiting players slam dunk on his home-court during a practice session ahead of the 26th Federation Cup Basketball Championship set to begin at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Kochi on Wednesday.
The former ball handler currently coaching Customs and Central Excise, the local side, would recollect winning the coveted championship in 2004 when it was held at Bhavnagar in Gujarat, also the last time a Kerala team had won it.
Having dropped curtains on an eventful career that lasted 15 long years, Sunny is glad much is happening in Kerala basketball though he believes providing more jobs will help the state retain most of its talent.
“In the 2004 final against Punjab Police I was knocked down unconscious in the final quarter, but I got back on court after first aid and we went on to win. It was a great feeling, which only lasted until we returned home to a cold handshake. But those days are long gone,” said Sunny.
“Now there are takers for talented players and it is always nice to see many Malayali players in almost every high-profile team in the country. It is good in a way, but also disappointing that our players are finding resort elsewhere for lack of opportunities here,” he said.
Kerala players Hareesh Koroth and Vineeth Ravi Mathew are starting members of IOC, Chennai and Muralikrishna and Anoop M. have been regulars in the ONGC squad.
“Only if all the departments hired at least three players each year, Kerala’s basketball will attain new heights,” he stated. Meanwhile, Sunny is a bit concerned about injuries to key players in his team. “I have asked the Kerala Police to give Basil Philip and Bony Mathew to fill the void.”
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