EMRS Gangyap sweeps CBSE Cluster 1 North East Basketball Meet

BIJOY GURUNG

GANGTOK: The CBSE Cluster 1 North East Region Basketball Championship 2025 concluded on Thursday at Miles Bronson Residential School, Guwahati, with over 100 teams from across the region participating in the U-14, U-17, and U-19 boys and girls categories.

Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS), Gangyap from remote West Sikkim, emerged as the most successful contingents in the tournament, bagging gold medals in all three categories it competed in - U-14 Girls, U-19 Girls, and U-19 Boys. With this outstanding performance, all three teams from EMRS Gangyap have now qualified for the CBSE Nationals.

“I’m extremely proud to share that our teams have secured gold medals across all categories. This is a proud moment for the entire EMRS Gangyap family,” said Sidharth Yonzone, principal of EMRS Gangyap, who also served as head coach for the U-14 Girls and U-19 Girls teams.

The U-19 Girls’ victory was particularly special, marking their 14th consecutive championship title since 2010 — a legacy of excellence that remains unbroken. The U-14 Girls team secured their second straight gold medal after winning the title in 2024, while the U-19 Boys clinched their second championship after their previous win in 2023.

In the finals, the U-14 Girls team defeated Sarla Birla Gyan Jyoti, Guwahati, with a commanding scoreline of 27-2. The U-19 Boys overcame Army Public School, Narangi, 24-16, and the U-19 Girls triumphed over Gurukul Academy with an emphatic 38-5 victory. All final matches were played in shortened time formats due to heavy rainfall on the concluding day in Guwahati.

Several players from EMRS Gangyap also stood out individually, earning Best Player awards in their respective categories. Samikcha Tamang was named Best Player in the U-14 Girls category, Nima Thendup Lepcha in the U-19 Boys, and Denla Bhutia in the U-19 Girls.

The teams were led by committed captains and supported by a dedicated coaching staff.

Samikcha Tamang captained the U-14 Girls team, with Sidharth Yonzone as coach and Tshogyal Dolma as assistant coach. The U-19 Boys were captained by Sonam Lazang Bhutia and coached by Pem C. Lepcha, with assistant coaching support from Sidharth Yonzone. The U-19 Girls were captained by Dawa Gyalmu Lepcha, with Sidharth Yonzone as coach and Pem C. Lepcha as assistant coach. The team was managed by Namgyal Sherpa.

The school extended its sincere gratitude to the Social Welfare department, Government of Sikkim, for its continued support and for granting the necessary permissions that enabled the teams to participate and excel at the event.