JAIPUR, March 15: Defending champions Bihar, gunning for a hat-trick of wins in the championship, were made to struggle by Andhra Pradesh in a group A’ league match of the 49th Senior National Basketball Championship here today.

The two time champions, fresh from their title triumph in the Imphal National Games last month, were trailing 28-37 at half time but rallied to edge past Andhra 71-56 on the opening day at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium courts here.

Results: Men’s: Pool A Bihar 71
Jaldeep Dhaliwal 18, Nishant Kumar 17, M Islauddin 12, Cyril Miranda 12 bt Andhra Pradesh 56 S Choudhary 14, PB Srinath 14, Vamsi 10; Tamil Nadu 62 Ganesh Saravanan 25, Sridhar 13, Gopi Nath 10 bt Indian Railways 44 Vishal Kumar 17, Ram Kumar 11, Mahender 6.

Pool B: Karnataka 69 Gautam 22, Murli 15, Rajan 13 bt Maharashtra 61 Srihari Garge 14, Mahesh Naidu 13, Pankaj 10.

Pool D: Rajasthan 66 Pankaj Malik 11, Mod Singh 9, Jagdish 9, Vikas 8 bt Orissa 52 Dilip Kumar 27, Amaresh Patra15.

Women’s: Pool B Madhya Pradesh 54 Savita 19, Neelam 8, Vibha 7 bt Delhi 33 Nishitha Chaudhary 18, Manila 8, Sushila 7.