Notre Dame Academy players (in black jersey) try to score a basket on Friday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Host Notre Dame Academy had a smooth sailing into the semi-finals in the very first match of the Inter-School Girls Basketball Tournament 2012. The home team trounced Carmel High School 26-3 on Friday.

The tournament comprising eight teams — Notre Dame Academy, Carmel High School, DPS, Patliputra Central School, Patna Central School, BD Public School, St Michael’s High School and Army School, Danapur Cantt — has been organised by Parents-Teachers’ Association (PTA) of Notre Dame Academy.

Three of the four matches turned out to be one-sided affairs. DPS beat Patliputra Central School 24-0, Army School, Danapur Cantt beat Patliputra Central School 30-0.

The last match of the day, however, provided some excitement, as the fate was sealed in the final minutes of the game. BD Public School edged past St Michael’s High School with the scorecard reading 15-13.

Amitabh Pandey, the president of PTA, said: “The (basketball) tournament aims to promote the girl child, discourage gender bias in society and provide a healthy atmosphere for young girls to prove themselves.”

Art, culture and youth affairs minister Sukhda Pandey inaugurated the inter-school girls basket- ball tournament. “Such tournaments help in deve- loping sportsmanship among girls,” she said, appreciating PTA’s efforts in organising the tournament.

The semi-finals will be played on Saturday between Army School, Danapur Cantt and Notre Dame Academy, while BD Public School will be up against DPS. The final will be played on Monday.