As an 11-year-old, Geethu Anna Jose tagged alongside her sister as the two made their way to the athletics centre at Mt Carmel High School in Kottayam, Kerala every evening. Geethu watched her sister sweat it out on the track and field. Predictably, it wasn't long before she gave in to the temptation of wearing some athletic gear herself, trying to emulate her older sibling.
However, what wasn't predictable then was that five years later, Geethu would represent her country in a sport that hardly resembles athletics — basketball. Geethu, 23, today is India's women's captain. She has even played for Ringwood Hawks, an Australian professional basketball league team.
Los Angeles - The Chicago Bulls on Thursday experienced one of the saddest days in their 43-year-old history, with the deaths of former greats Johnny "Red" Kerr and Norm Van Lear.
Kerr, the legendary Bulls broadcaster, died of prostrate cancer at the age of 76.
"The entire Bulls organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Johnny "Red" Kerr," Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement.
"Johnny spent his entire life around the great game of basketball. His name was synonymous with basketball, both here in Chicago, and throughout the entire NBA.
Belgrade - Serbian basketball star Vlade Divac was Tuesday named as the president of Serbia's Olympic committee, local media reported.
Divac was named president after his opponent, incumbent OC president Ivan Curkovic withdraw his candidacy.
Divac won several World and European titles with Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. He also won the European club championship with Partizan Belgrade and had an prominent career spanning longer than 15 years in the US national basketball association (NBA).
Los Angeles - Mighty mite Nate Robinson stole the show in the Knick of time.
Robinson exploded for a season-high 41 points, including a steal and the tie-breaking layup with 26 seconds left, carrying the New York Knicks to a 123-119 over the short-handed Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
The reigning Slam Dunk Champion hit 11-of-18 shots, including four three-pointers, and converted 15-of-19 free throws, matching the Knicks' record for most points off the bench, set by Bob McAdoo against Atlanta on December 17, 1978.
Los Angeles - The Utah Jazz played with a heavy heart, then took the court and showed the love for its late owner Larry H. Miller.
Mehmet Okur scored 25 points, Deron Williams had 20 with 13 assists, leading the Jazz to its fourth consecutive win, a highly- emotional 102-88 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday night.
"This was an emotional game tonight," Williams said. "We just wanted to win the game for Larry and his family. That was our main goal. We wanted to win it for us as well, but for them first."
Los Angeles - All-Star forward Kevin Garnett, the emotional leader of the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics, will miss two to three weeks with a muscle strain in his right knee, the team announced Saturday.
Garnett left the Celtics on Friday and returned to Boston, where he was examined by team physician Dr. Brian McKeon at New England Baptist Hospital. Tests including an MRI revealed a posterior muscle strain in his knee.
Belgrade - Serbian basketball star Vlade Divac was Tuesday named as the president of Serbia's Olympic committee, local media reported.
Los Angeles - Mighty mite Nate Robinson stole the show in the Knick of time.
Los Angeles - The Utah Jazz played with a heavy heart, then took the court and showed the love for its late owner Larry H. Miller.
Los Angeles - All-Star forward Kevin Garnett, the emotional leader of the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics, will miss two to three weeks with a muscle strain in his right knee, the team announced Saturday.
