Basketball League returns to the capital for National finale

Basketball Federation of India and IMG Reliance’s joint efforts to promote the game of Basketball reaches the final stage

New Delhi, December 15, 2014: Three months, 23 cities, 13,000 young basketball players from over 1100 institution teams across the country have today reached the final platform of National championship. Being organized in the capital city, this joint initiative of Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and IMG Reliance (IMG R) -Indian School Basketball League (ISBL) and Indian College Basketball League (ICBL) has set the stage for four teams from ten cities to battle for the trophy. Through this collaboration, BFI and IMG R are living up to the challenge of inculcating basic knowledge of the game of basketball at grassroots levels and cultivate the talent into national standards.

Speaking on the occasion Basketball Federation of India CEO, Mrs. Roopam Harish Sharma said, “This championship is an important milestone in the history of Indian basketball, today we are proud to announce the opening of National championship of the Indian College and School Basketball league. By nurturing the talent at grassroots, our mission has been to create basketball players for the country to represent the game not only at the national but also the international level. Basketball Federation of India is dedicated to the development of the game and this unique proposition with the IMG Reliance team has received tremendous support from the schools and colleges across the country and we are happy to give the best of the champions back to the country.”

“These students have come a long way in a short span of three months and the coming week promises a lot of excitement full of passion, team work and positive competition with the best display of their hard work,” added Mrs. Sharma

Announcing the national finals open, Mr. Ashu Jindal, Chief Operating Officer, IMG Reliance, said, “IMG Reliance and the Basketball Federation of India began our journey together four years ago with the aim of growing the sport of basketball and improving the technical quality of play in India. Seeing all of you here at the National Finals of the Indian School Indian School Basketball League and Indian College Basketball League, confirms that we have taken a large step towards our joint vision this year.”

Cities in the finals include New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ludhiana, Kochi, Trivandrum, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad. 

In a special message to all the finalists by basketball legend Michael Jordan’s mother Deloris Jordan called out for all the students and said she was very happy to see this enthusiasm for basketball in India. “The best young talent in the country is assembling here and I wish you guys all the best,” said Deloris who was in India for a Jordan Foundation event.

Indian College Basketball League-

·        First day matches for the Indian College Basketball League were between Saint Joseph’s College and Government College Girls Ludhiana, where the Ludhiana team emerged winner with a score of 56-20.

·        Girls from Rajasthan college Jaipur defeated Ramjas College, Delhi by 52-19.

Indian School Basketball League-

·        For the Indian School Basketball League, Government School Mall road, Ludhiana challenged Bhavans Vidya Mandir Girls, Kochi, where Ludhiana defeated Kochi by 91-18.

·        Girls from Santhome School, Chennai won by 60-22 in a match with Vidyaniketan School, Mumbai.

·        Mallya Aditi International School girls got the better off Oakridge International school by 57-41. Even in the boys category Oakridge could not change their fortune and lost to Fr. Agnel School, Mumbai 54-91.