Hoopdarshan 109: Amritpal Singh returns to dominate for Team India

In a must-win qualifying game against Palestine, Amritpal Singh posted 32 points and 12 rebounds to secure a dramatic comeback victory for India. Now, the Punjabi big man joins Hoopdarshan to look ahead at the FIBA Asia Cup, share how he remained sharp during the Lockdown, and reminisce his time with the NBL in Australia. Hosted by Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok. 

 Also in Episode 109, Kaushik and Karan discuss India's performance at the FIBA Asia Women's Cup, and recap the worst storylines of the NBA's offseason.

 

Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 
• 
  

Hoopdarshan Episode 87: Best of the 2010s with Gopalakrishnan R. and Akshay Manwani

Join Hoopdarshan in a double-sided bonanza episode, where hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok wave goodbye to the 2010s by discussing the best of the last ten years. In Part 1, we are joined by Indian basketball writer Gopalakrishnan R. to create India's Men and Women's All-Decade teams. In Part 2, we welcome NBA India expert Akshay Manwani to debate our All-Decade starting fives. It's peak Hoopdarshan, straddling a foot in each of our favourite hooping worlds.

Gopalakrishnan R. is the founder of the Indian basketball platform Ekalavyas which promotes and curates hoops content from around the country. Akshay Manwani is a writer, commentator, and broadcast guest for Sony/TEN's coverage of the NBA in India.



Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Punjab Steelers and Kochi Stars to represent India at FIBA Asia 3x3 Quest Final in Maldives

Less than two weeks after wrapping up victories at the 3x3 National Championship in Bengaluru, the two top teams from India - Punjab Steelers (Men) and Kochi Stars (Women) - now land in Male, Maldives, to take on the top 3x3 sides in the continent. The 2019 FIBA Asia 3x3 Quest Final will be held in Male from September 6-8, and the Indian sides will have an opportunity to qualify for the world 3x3 championship next month if they triumph in this event.

A number of star Indian players, including Amjyot Singh, Amritpal Singh, Geethu Anna Rahul, and more are at this event. Both the Steelers and the Star are seeded at 7th place in their respective groups.

Rosters

• Punjab Steelers: Amjyot Singh, Amritpal Singh, Arshpreet Singh Bhullar, Rajvir Singh Aujla.
• Kochi Stars: Geethu Anna Rahul, Smruthi Radhakrishnan, Surya PR, Sonumol Soman.

India's Groups - sourced via NBA India.

• Men: Punjab Steelers (India), Taipei Bears (Chinese Taipei), Arkhangai (Mongolia), Askar (Brunei).
• Women: Kochi Stars (India), Top Star (China), Maafannu (Maldives).

On paper, India is sending teams that should perform well in their groups. Featuring talents like Amjyot and Amritpal, India's Men should be favourites to make it out of their pool as toppers. The women's squad will probably face a big challenge against China's Top Star, but the return to action of national legend Geethu Anna Rahul should help the team's chances.

The champions of these finals in Maldives will book their place in the Elite 3x3 World Tour Masters in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) from October 18-19.

Northern Spartans from Amritsar triumph in the first ever India Finals of RedBull Reign

Indian Gymkhana, Matunga in Mumbai hosted the first ever India Finals of Red Bull Reign - a unique global 3 on 3 basketball tournament on 8th June 2019. With 16 teams (the winners of the respective 12 city qualifiers and 4 wildcard teams) the national finals witnessed high paced basketball across 39 matches. Amritsar's Northern Spartans defeated Team Drop Step from Goa 17-11 in the final to secure the title, and win their ticket to the RedBull Reign World Championship in Toronto later this year.

The winning team were led by the consistent dominance of India's recent national captain Amritpal Singh. He received ample support from Arshpreet Singh Bhullar, Rajvir Singh, and Israel Fernando en route to the title. Northern Spartans had defeated Tune Squad (Delhi-Chandigarh) in the semi-finals 21-14. While on the other side, Team Drop Step reached the final with a tightly-contested win over Income Tax from Ahmedabad, 16-14.

The Red Bull Reign tournaments have been held in over a dozen countries this year. The winners of the Toronto Finals will have a shot at 10,000 USD prize money.

Starting in April 7, Red Bull Reign’s 3x3 was held across 12 cities: Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Aizawl, Guwahati, Delhi, Ludhiana and Jaipur. The city winners from each event came to Mumbai on June 8 to battle it out for the national championship. Four ‘wildcard’ teams, featuring some of the top players in India, were also added to the finals fray. A number of India's other top players took part in the finals in Mumbai, including India’s number 1 ranked 3x3 player Dhruv Barman, Mizoram’s star guard Lalrina Renthelei, Sowkin Shetty, Pratyanshu Tomar, Vinay Kaushik, and more.

Hoopdarshan Episode 77: Scott Flemming on NBA Academy India and India's National Basketball Team

The very first guest on Hoopdarshan, Scott Flemming, returns to India's premier basketball podcast in a new role. Flemming was arguably the most successful head coach of India's Men's basketball side, and now works as the Technical Director of the NBA Academy India in Greater Noida. In an in-depth interview with co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok, Flemming talked about the changing opportunities for India's top prospects, what India can do to turn around their recent slump, and the full inside story of the 'Turban-Ban' controversy from the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup.

Aside from a conversation that triggered the past, present, and future of Indian basketball, Kaushik and Karan also touched on the ongoing Youth Nationals in Coimbatore and give their predictions for the NBA Conference Finals.



Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Punjab (Men) and Indian Railways (Women) are India's 2019 National Basketball Champions!

After eight days of the highest-level of basketball India had to offer, the last teams standings offered some familiar faces. Held in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, the 69th National Basketball Championship for Men and Women concluded on Saturday, January 12 with the finales. Indian Railways, the reigning women's champions, repeated their triumph again this year with a 88-71 victory over Tamil Nadu. The star-studded Punjab Men squad crept pass Services 74-65 to win the gold in their division.

The 'Senior Nationals', organised by the Gujarat State Basketball Association and the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), featured 32 Men's and 27 Women's squads from state and units across India. The tournament was held at Bhavnagar's Sisdar Sports Complex and tipped off on January 5.

At the finals on Sunday, Railways started a little slow against the talented TN squad, but turned things around after the first quarter. Leading 42-40 at halftime, Railways kicked into top gear in the third with a 27-15 run that essentially pulled the game away for good. International stars Rajapriyadarshani Rajaganapathi (23) and Navaneetha PU (16) led the way to a 88-71 Indian Railways triumph. Sathya scored 21 for TN in the loss.

The Men's finale was a closer affair most of the way, featuring two strong and gritty squads, Punjab and Services. Both teams remained neck to neck most of the way, with Punjab holding only a slim 53-51 lead after three quarters. Punjab, who had shocked holders TN in overtime on Friday, found their extra surge in the fourth quarter at the final. The duo of Arshpreet Singh Bhullar (24) and Jagdeep Singh Bains (19) helped see them through to the 74-65 win. India's international point guard Joginder Singh led Services with 26.

Punjab's Amritpal Singh, the international star who recovered from a serious injury to star in this tournament, was named the Men's MVP. The Women's MVP award went to Tamil Nadu's unstoppable post-threat Pushpa Senthil Kumar.

This was Indian Railways' incredible 29th title in the Nationals, while Punjab won theirs for the seventh time - and the first since Chennai 2011.

Tamil Nadu finished third in the Men's division with a 84-65 with over Karnataka, led by Muin Bek Hafeez (20), Justin Joseph (19), and Hariram Ragupathy (17). Jitender scored 17 for Karnataka while Rahul Sarathy added 16. The Women's third place was a high-octane matchup between Kerala and Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh's giant player Poonam Chaturvedi dropped 41 points, but Kerala survived to a 7--73 win led by their national team veterans Jeena Scaria (21) and Poojamol Kochuparambu (18).

Final Scores

• Women: Indian Railways (Rajapriyadarshani Rajaganapathi 23, Navaneetha PU 16, Ramya 13) bt. Tamil Nadu (Sathya 21) 88-71 [18-23, 24-17, 27-15, 19-16].
• Men: Punjab (Arshpreet Singh Bhullar 24, Jagdeep Singh Bains 19, Amritpal Singh 15) bt. Services (Joginder Singh 26) 74-65 [22-19, 15-14, 17-18, 20-14].

Final Standings

Women

• 1. Indian Railways
• 2. Tamil Nadu
• 3. Kerala
• 4. Chhattisgarh
• 5. Telangana

Men

• 1. Punjab
• 2. Services
• 3. Tamil Nadu
• 4. Karnataka
• 5. Uttarakhand

2018: The Year in Indian Basketball

India is complicated: that is not breaking news. There are goods and there are bads, there are opportunities and risks, there is optimism in the horizon and pessimism that lurks in the dark corners.

And basketball in India, of course, is a microcosm of the country itself: complicated, topsy-turvy, and often undefinable. Indian basketball in 2018 positive results, negative news, losses (lots of losses), and big wins that signalled bleak hope from the future from alternative sources. Here's a look back at the year's biggest highlights:

- University of Calicut completed an incredible three-peat at India's most prestigious national women's collegiate title - the 2018 All India Inter University Women's Basketball Championship for Women - in Chennai in the beginning of the year.

- A couple of rivalries - some old, some new - were reignited at the biggest stage in domestic Indian basketball during the finals of the 2018 Senior National Basketball Championship for Men and Women at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. The tournament, featuring the finest teams and players in the country, came to a conclusion with big victories for Indian Railways (Women) and hosts Tamil Nadu (Men), both of whom lifted championship trophies with victories over Chhattisgarh and Services respectively.

- The basketball tournament at the first-ever Khelo India School Games (KISG) in February was won by Kerala (Girls) and Punjab (Boys) at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.

- Three Indian players - Sejin Mathew, Princepal Singh, and Pushpa Senthil Kumar - were among 43 prospects, ranging in age from 16-18, from 36 countries around the world for the Basketball Without Borders camp at the 2018 NBA All Star Weekend in Los Angeles, USA in mid February.

- And at the 18th Asian Games Invitational Tournament 5x5 Basketball Test Event in Jakarta in mid February, India's Senior Men's team lost in the gold medal game to hosts Indonesia.

- Indian basketball descended into turmoil in late February when an alleged "clerical error" by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) disqualified two of India's top players - Amjyot Singh and Amritpal Singh - from taking part in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in Bengaluru, despite both players having returned to India from their pro leagues in the NBA G-League and NBL Australia respectively. Without those two and the injured guard Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, India lost both games to Jordan and Lebanon at home and fell to 0-4 in the qualifiers.

- Indian basketball stars Amjyot Singh and Jeena Scaria were honoured at the Times of India Sports Awards 2018.

- First-timers in the Asian circuit, Australia, routed hosts China in the final to win gold at the delayed FIBA U16 Asian Championship in Foshan in early April. India finished last among the 13 participating teams.

- Over the weekend on April 14-15, Australia's Women and Men both won their respective finals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Basketball tournament in impressive fashion at home. India returned from Australia losing all their games in both Men and Women's divisions.

- In early May, former Lakers center (now with the Bucks) Brook Lopez visited India to promote youth basketball development initiatives for the NBA.

- With Lopez in attendance, the youth teams from Bengaluru and Delhi won the girls and boys (respective) Jr. NBA National Finals in Greater Noida to qualify for the Jr. NBA World Championship later in the year.

- In a battle of 3x3 basketball rights, the Basketball Federation of India announced a controversial ban of 3x3 players hoping to participate in national 5x5 basketball events, and vice versa. This was done primarily to thwart the growing clout of the FIBA-approved 3BL basketball league announced earlier in the year.

- Out of a tryout of 50, eight players were chosen to join the existing contingent of the NBA India Academy in Greater Noida

- In the final of the 32nd Federation Cup National Basketball Tournament in Chittoor in early May, IOB (Chennai) exorcised years of demons against the dominant ONGC squad to win a memorable title, ending ONGC's five-year run at the top. In the women's final, Kerala's young squad added another feather to their cap, defeating neighbours Tamil Nadu in the final.

- Rajesh Patel, the most-decorated coach in Indian basketball, passed away in early May. I wrote an obituary on The Times of India Sports.

- In mid May, at the 69th Junior National Basketball Championship for Men and Women in Ludhiana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu (Women) and Kerala (Men) celebrated with the title, after impressive victories in their respective finales.

- NBA Academy India held a first-ever Women's camp in Greater Noida from May 27-29. Sanjana Ramesh of Bengaluru and Vaishnavi Yadav from Allahabad were named the camp's Co-MVPs.

- The 2018 Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp was held in India for just the second time from May 29-June 1. The fourth and final day of BWB Asia 2018 concluded in thrilling fashion as the 66 campers from 16 countries and territories in Asia-Pacific competed in championship games and a pair of All-Star games. India's Sanjana Ramesh shone among the continent's best and was named women's MVP.

- The BFI made controversy again by banning two of India's star players - Amjyot Singh and Palpreet Singh - from Indian basketball for a year citing "indisciplinary activities".

- Two more games. Two more losses. India's ill-fated road to the 2019 Basketball World Cup ended with road losses to Syria and Jordan. They finished 0-6 in the First Round.

- Khelo India announced in July that 40 young basketball players had been selected for talent development scholarship.

- New Zealand won 2018 William Jones Cup for Women in Chinese Taipei (July 25-29); India (0-5) finished last.

- The inaugural Jr. NBA World Championship was held in Florida, USA, from August 7-12. US Central won both boys and girls divisions. India's junior teams also took part.

- The most talented and dominant team of India's inaugural 3x3BL - Delhi Hoopers - took home the crown after six rounds of the league's first season, displaying their command over opponents and showcasing the exciting rise of 3x3 basketball in the country.

- The first Indian player to ever be drafted into the NBA, Satnam Singh made another first, joining the St. John's Edge of Canada's NBL this season.

- China swept across all categories of basketball at the 2018 Asian Games, winning gold in the Men's, Women's, 3x3 Men's, and 3x3 Women's events in Jakarta. India's women took part and returned winless.

- At the 35th Youth National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls, held in Udaipur, Rajasthan in the first week of October, Rajasthan (Boys) and Punjab (Girls) emerged as champions.

- Also in October, seven-time NBA champ Robert Horry made his second trip to India to celebrate start of new NBA season.

- India hosted the 2018 FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women in Bengaluru from October 28 - November 3. 16 of the top teams in the Asia and Oceania took part, divided into higher (Division A) and lower (Division B) sections. China's U18 team raced to grab the the gold medals. And for the third time in various women's FIBA Asia events, India - starting in Division B - played a perfect tournament to win promotion to Division A.

- Uttar Pradesh (Boys) and Maharashtra (Girls) win 2018 Sub Junior Nationals in Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) in mid November.

- Undisturbed by the drama back home, Indian star Amjyot Singh returned to OKC Blue of the NBA G-League for second season.

- Mr. UTEP 2-Step Tim Hardaway visited India to promote the growth of basketball and NBA India's recently announced McDonald’s NBA-themed promotion.

- Sanjana Ramesh (17), already enjoying a stellar year, made history by becoming only the second Indian to receive scholarship from NCAA Division 1 programme - Northern Arizona - which she will join in fall 2019.

- Zarkawt BCA won season 5 of Mizoram Super League in Aizawl, making it their second win in two editions of the tournament in the same year. Once again, Mizo basketball legend Lalrina Renthlei was named MVP.

- The year ended on a high: the NBA officially announced that India will host their first-ever preseason games, in Mumbai, in October 2019. The games will feature the Indiana Pacers and the Sacramento Kings and are bound to become a flagship moment in the history of basketball/NBA in the country.

The NBA India Games will surely be the most anticipated event for the game in 2019, but there will be FIBA Asia events and more individual achievements for India to look forward to. Hopefully, there is less drama and more focus on the growth of the game to meet India's potential!

With unnecessary bans on two star players, Basketball Federation of India has once again proven to be its own enemy

This article was first published in my 'Hoopistani' column for The Times of India Sports on June 10, 2018. Click here to read the original feature.

Last month, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) banned all players hoping to participate in an upstart 3x3 basketball league—the 3BL—from participating in full, five-on-five basketball activities at the domestic or international stage. A few months before that, India’s best players Amjyot Singh and Amritpal Singh were removed from the national team-list because of “trust” issues. Two years ago, the BFI slapped a ban on 122 players, coaches, and staff taking part in the UBA professional basketball league in the country.

In 2010, the BFI attempted to bar the country’s best player Geethu Anna Jose from playing pro in Australia. Ten years ago, the ban was on India’s best point guard TJ Sahi for alleged indiscipline. In 2006, it was India’s best player at the time—Sozhasingarayer Robinson—banned for missing a training camp. In 2005, one of India’s greatest basketball players Jayasankar Menon was handed a “life ban” for participating in an on-court fight between players.

And earlier this week, the BFI banned Amjyot Singh and Palpreet Singh Brar (both former NBA G-League draftees) for one year for “indisciplinary activities”.

We’ve seen this movie before, and its ending is easy to predict: losses all around for everyone involved in Indian basketball—the players, the federation, the fans, and the sport in itself.

In a stunning decision on Monday, the BFI handed Amjyot (26) and Brar (24)—Punjabi players who have been lynchpins of the national team—one-year bans for alleged indiscipline before and during the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April. Brar’s ban was handed because he abused the national team while drinking on social media. Amjyot—the most-talented player in India—was banned for allegedly striking a teammate and causing division among players in the team.

Via Pratyush Raj for The Times of India:

The federation revealed that both the players’ objectionable actions had rendered them unfit to represent the national side and even be a part of the national team.

“A national basketball player flaunts a picture on social media application Snapchat, abusing the nation after consumption of hard liquor. Is he really fit to be the part of the national squad?” Chander Mukhi Sharma, the secretary-general of BFI, said while sharing the information about suspension of two players from national side.

“Just before the match at the Commonwealth Games, Amjyot had also slapped his teammate and compatriot Arshpreet Bhullar. Moreover, there had been complaints against Amjyot of misbehaviour with the national coach. They did not report to the camp for three days. They were causing trouble at the camp, indulging in groupism. A disciplinary panel was constituted which decided the punishment,” said Mukhi.

…Amjyot was part of the team that went to Gold Coast. Amjyot again tried to break up the team into factions in Gold Coast. As a result, it cost us all the matches in Gold Coast,” he added.

The decision to ban the two players was taken by the BFI’s disciplinary committee, which included India’s interim men’s head coach Rajinder Singh. A disciplinary committee member said that Amjyot and Brar reported late to the national camp in Bengaluru and “disrupted the atmosphere”.

This is a surprising set of allegations, particularly on Amjyot. Sharma is essentially blaming India’s losses at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on him. Furthermore, even if the allegations on Amjyot are true, Sharma and the federation have announced an unnecessarily severe punishment—one year—for relatively minor issues like rifts between the team and Snapchat insults. 

But then again, Sharma, the current federation, and even the BFI of the past have a history of overreacting to errors made by athletes, the same athletes who are the backbone of India’s national team structure and are the only reason that India were even considered a rising power in Asian basketball.

I used the past tense above—“were considered”—deliberately. By continuously shooting themselves in the foot, the BFI are becoming Indian basketball’s worst enemy, stunting the growth of the sport with the intention of ensuring that they have absolute power over all players and other entities in Indian basketball. They punished Amjyot and Amritpal over a baseless “trust” issue in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, tried to hurt competing leagues like 3BL and UBA by disallowing players to take part in both events, and unofficially blackballed star players like former women’s captain Prashanti Singh for being absent for a few days. They have had issues with Geethu, with TJ, with Robinson, with Menon.

And with countless more to chose to remain silent in fear that angering the federation would rob them of their only opportunity to make a living through basketball.

Amjyot is among the “Big Three” of Indian basketball and has been the country’s top scorer in every international tournament he has participated in over the past five years. Brar was also a major contributor to the national squad until recently. In 2016, Brar became the first Indian to be drafted directly into the NBA’s G-League by the Long Island Nets, although he was cut before the final roster. Amjyot, who played professionally in Japan in 2016, was drafted into the G-League by the OKC Blue in 2017 and appeared in 30 games.

The exploits of Amjyot and Brar, plus of other important players like Amritpal Singh who played in Australia’s NBL last season, are an exciting, new phenomenon for Indian basketball. The BFI have seemingly been unprepared to have an appropriate reaction to these athletes having their own professional independence. Until recently, nearly every Indian basketball player had to rely on India’s national teams and domestic events for basketball opportunities. But changing times have offered new avenues, and the BFI have responded negatively to this independence. The strange case of Amjyot and Amritpal summoned to India for February’s FIBA World Cup Qualifiers only to find their names off the team list showcased the federation’s troubling attitude towards its top players.

For Amjyot and Brar, the bans might be about a bigger issue than the alleged misconduct. Both players were involved in the build-up of the upcoming 3BL, a first-of-its-kind 3x3 basketball league in India. But on the same day that the 3BL was announced, the BFI released a memo to all secretaries of India’s affiliated basketball units, giving an update on their own 3x3 event and banning all players hoping to participate in opposing 3x3 leagues from 5x5 basketball in/for India (and vice versa). Amjyot has since been back in the US with hopes to train for a call-up to the G-League again, while Brar—already cut from the national squad—committed to the 3BL.

The 3BL launched on Saturday, June 9 in New Delhi. The BFI’s latest ban on these two players came earlier in the same week.

On Friday, Amjyot released a statement while in Philadelphia in regards to the BFI ban. “I am disappointed with this action from the BFI,” he said, and added that the altercation between him and Bhullar at the Commonwealth Games occurred in the “normal course of practice”.

“I am the last person to indulge in any alleged violence and my reaction was only in self-defence… I feel that my actions do not even remotely warrant a one-year ban as imposed by the BFI.”

Amjyot also denied Sharma’s allegations that he was trying to break the team up in factions. “I strive to be selfless and a complete team player both on and off the court and I am confident that majority of the players who have interacted or played with me will tell you the same.”

“This one-year ban has taken away the opportunity to represent my country at the international level… I am always ready to play for my country and will be privileged to do so if called upon by the BFI in the future.”

On the same day as Amjyot’s statement, his father in Chandigarh told TOI that the family would consider legal action if his ban is not lifted by the federation. 

Regardless of how this messy situation untangles, one thing is for sure: the years of over-reaction has proven that the BFI has to mature and react appropriately to competition—like the 3BL—and small infractions. But for now, the federation’s ban will hurt the team’s immediate future and push young players and outside investors from losing faith in the system.

For years, those outside the Indian basketball world have wondered how a country with such a large population has never reached its potential in basketball (and many other sports). Part of the reason for this failure has been on display in this saga. The federation needs to realise that basketball growth will not be a simple lay-up; it will be messy and unpredictable, it will be full of hiccups, and it will sometimes happen without their permission. Sometimes outside competition will spur on this growth, and sometimes our star players will find new opportunities for themselves that might clash with the federation’s path. For basketball’s sake in India, the BFI has to get used to this unpredictability instead of trying to control or suppress it.

If Amjyot and Palpreet truly deserve to be discipline, then they should definitely be handed a reasonable punishment. The players need to keep the federation happy, and the federation needs to do the same for the players.

A reaction like this, however—a groaning repeat of history—is only going to suppress the sport. The sport is bigger than the federation, and all sides must get over their infighting and work together to help India reach its hoops potential.

Hoopdarshan Episode 59: Gopalakrishnan R. on Mizoram Basketball, Commonwealth Games, Amjyot, Amritpal, and more.

Over the past few weeks, Gopalakrishnan R. of Pursuit India headed Northeast to cover one of Indian basketball's pleasant surprises: the Mizoram Super League. In Episode 59 of Hoopdarshan, Gopal joints hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok to talk about in depth about the MSL's popularity, preview Indian basketball at the Commonwealth Games, comment on the Amjyot-Amritpal situation, and discuss why we Indian basketball fans are the X-Men.



Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Hoopdarshan Episode 58: India's FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and more with Yash Matange

Last week, India hosted two FIBA World Cup Qualifiers on home soil, at Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium. A "clerical error" of epic proportions forced India to field undermanned squads, and eventually, lose both games to Jordan and Lebanon. In Episode 58 of Hoopdarshan, hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok welcome SportsKeeda writer Yash Matange to blast-off on this strange situation, break down where India went right and wrong in the two match-ups, and discuss the NBA's interest in hosting a preseason game in the country.

Additionally, we shout-out Amjyot Singh and Jeena Scaria winning The Times of India Sports' Basketball Awards, as well as give our reviews of the updated NBA All Star Game.



Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

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India, in turmoil, lose 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers to Jordan and Lebanon at home

The odds were already stacked against India before the February window of 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. Despite having two games scheduled on home ground, India returned to the qualifiers after losing their previous two games in November and without the services of their lead guard - Vishesh Bhriguvanshi - due to injury. But a self-inflicted catastrophe, followed by an uninspiring performance, led the national men's team to more turmoil. The short-handed Indian side failed to deliver again and lost two more qualifying matches at home over the past week to Jordan and Lebanon to fall 0-4 in the qualifiers.

This is the first time that FIBA - the international basketball federation - is holding their new qualifying format for the World Cup. India was drawn in Group C for the First Round of the 2019 World Cup’s Asian Qualifiers, along with Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. To qualify for the Second Round, India have to finish within the top three of their group.

Last week, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) announced the roster for these two matches with some good news: two of India's finest players, Amjyot Singh and Amritpal Singh who play in the NBA G-League and NBL Australia respectively, were set to return home for the week to boost the team. Led by interim head coach Rajinder Singh, the squad also featured the likes of Aravind Annadurai, star for India at the Asian Games Test Event in Indonesia, and Satnam Singh, the first Indian to be drafted to the NBA. The competition would be tough, but there was some optimism in the Indian camp with both games scheduled to be held at the Sree Kantaveera Stadium in Bengaluru.

Alas, confusion and a technical tragedy played a cruel joke on India's plans. Due to a clerical error between the federation and the players, FIBA didn't receive Amjyot and Amritpal's names in the official team list for India's two games. Despite being fully prepared for these games, the two star Singhs were unable to suit up for India. The rest of the team were forced to make do without all of their "Big Three".

New heroes had to emerge for India, and in the first game against Jordan on Friday. February 23, those heroes were Annadurai (28 points, 11 rebounds) and Satnam (20 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists). While Jordan kept a steady lead, the two bigs did their best to keep India in the contest. India trailed only by five, 66-61, before the beginning of the final quarter, before a deeper Jordan team finally pulled away, exploding offensively to finish the game with a 102-88 victory. The trio of Mohammad Hussein (19), Mahmoud Abdeen (18), and Dar Tucker (18) led Jordan to the win. Apart from Annadurai and Satnam, India got a positive contribution from newcomer Justin Joseph (16) in the loss.

The loss and official mix-up deflated the squad before their second game, against Lebanon on Monday, February 26. Lebanon had already defeated India in November 107-72 in Zouk Mikael back in November. On Monday, it was more of the same. Now also missing point guard Akilan Pari due to personal reasons, India struggled mightily on offence, committing 20 turnovers and converting less than 29 percent of their field goal attempts. Led by Ater Majok (17), Bassel Bawji (16), and Amir Saoud (16), Lebanon cruised to a 90-50 victory.

India will have a break from FIBA Qualifiers and turn their attentions to another major international tournament, the 2018 CommonWealth Games scheduled in Australia in April. Hopefully, the BFI can mend their differences with the star players and field a full-strength squad - otherwise, the entire exercise will be a waste of time, effort, and resources again. The next round of FIBA World Cup qualifiers are scheduled in late June and early July, both away games to Syria and Jordan respectively. At the bottom of their group, it is now virtually impossible for India to qualify for the Second Round of qualifiers.

The 2019 FIBA World Cup will be held in China in August/September 2019.

India announce squad for next window of FIBA World Cup qualifiers against Jordan and Lebanon in Bengaluru

India began the campaign for the 2019 FIBA World Cup with disappointments in the first window of their First Round games. In two games in November, India played uninspiring basketball, losing to Lebanon on the road, and then to Syria back home. The losses have put the team at the bottom of Group C and complicating any chances for India to qualify for the next stage.

If that course has to be corrected, however, the hard work has to start now. FIBA Asia's second window of 2019 World Cup qualifiers will begin next week. India will play two home games - against Jordan and Lebanon - at the Sri Kantaveera Stadium in Bengaluru. India will face Jordan on Friday, February 23rd, and Lebanon on Monday, February 26th.

This is the first time that FIBA - the international basketball federation - is holding their new qualifying format for the World Cup. India was drawn in Group C for the First Round of the 2019 World Cup’s Asian Qualifiers, along with Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. To qualify for the Second Round, India have to finish within the top three of their group.

A short-handed Indian squad lost to Lebanon 107-22 in Zouk Mikael in November, and came home for a more disappointing loss against a weaker Syrian team, 74-57. Jordan has won both while Lebanon and Syria have lost one and won one match each.

To prepare for the upcoming important games, India played in the 2018 Asian Games Test Event's basketball tournament in Indonesia last week, finishing with a silver medal.

The good news for India going ahead for the next two home games is that two of the country's top players - Amjyot Singh and Amritpal Singh - will return from professional obligations for the Oklahoma City Blue (NBA G-League) and Sydney Kings (NBL Australia) respectively to rejoin Team India next week. Also playing for the team will be Aravind Annadurai, star for India at the Asian Games Test Event in Indonesia, and Satnam Singh, the first Indian to be drafted to the NBA. Rajinder Singh will serve as India's coach for these match-ups. The Basketball Federation of India's (BFI) President K. Govindraj and Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma announced India's roster in Bengaluru on Saturday,

Team India

• Ravi Bhardwaj
• Arvind Arumugam
• Satnam Singh
• Arshpreet Singh Bhullar
• Aravind Annadurai
• Akilan Pari
• Justin Gnanaraj
• Jeevanantham Pandi
• Yadwinder Singh
• Joginder Singh
• Amritpal Singh
• Amjyot Singh
• Loveneet Singh Atwal *injury replacement
• Head Coach: Rajinder Singh
• Assistant Coach: GRL Prasad
• Assistant Coach: RH Lalding Sanga

The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has announced free entry to all fans hoping to attend the games in Bengaluru. The city hosted three major FIBA events last year: the 2017 FIBA Asia Championship for Women, the 2017 FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women, and India's FIBA World Cup Qualifier against Syria.

"After looking at the enthusiasm of the fans in the previous events we have decided to open up the gates for all the basketball fans," said Govindraj. "Providing free entry will be a great opportunity for all the school children in Bangalore to witness basketball played on the highest level."

Meet the Indian basketball stars nominated for 2018 Times of India Sports Awards

This piece was first published in my column for The Times of India Sports on January 30, 2018. Click here to read the original piece.

Despite its large population, India is still a relative minnow in international basketball, a nation where one of the world’s most popular sports is only an afterthought. While the sport has developed considerably over the past decade, India is still looking for a spark to ignite the next generation.

That spark can be provided with star-power. With Yao Ming, China got a readymade superstar who helped turn an entire generation of young Chinese into basketball fans. India has a considerably different sports atmosphere, and although basketball might never become the country’s top sport, it could gain considerable fan following with successful role models.

No, there’s no Indian ‘Yao’ in the horizon, yet; but we feature our own set of star players who have been grinding away over the past few years and found success on the domestic and international stage. This year, for the first time, the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2018 will feature an award for India’s best basketball player. Here are the five nominees, and each of their years in review.

Amritpal Singh: 2017 was certainly a banner year for Punjab’s Amritpal Singh (26), headlined by the news that he became the first-ever Indian to play for Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL). After impressing in workouts, training camps, and the pre-season tour, Amritpal was signed by the Sydney Kings and has since played a consistent backup role in the NBL. For the national team, where he is the starting center for India, Amritpal played in many major tournaments including the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, the FIBA Asia Cup, and the South Asian Basketball Championship. In the latter, he captained India to a victory and was the tournament’s MVP. Amritpal was also best player of the Uttarakhand and ONGC’s squads that won gold medals in the two biggest domestic basketball meets in 2017: The Senior Nationals and the Federation Cup.

Amjyot Singh: Like his fellow front-court mate Amritpal, Amjyot Singh (26) of Chandigarh broke barriers and made history for Indian basketball. Amjyot’s crowning achievement was to become the second Indian (after Satnam Singh) to make it to the NBA’s G-League with the Oklahoma City Blue in late October. The sharp-shooting 6-foot-8 forward has seen his role grow with the Blue over the past few months and has taken a step closer to the NBA than any Indian citizen before him. Back home, Amjyot continued to be a lynchpin for India’s national team. He was India’s captain at the FIBA Asia Cup, and finished the tournament leading the team in points (13.0) and assists (4.3). He was also India’s top player at other international trips to the William Jones Cup and the BRICS Games.

Anitha Paul Durai: 2017 marked the beginning of Paul Durai’s (32) “second innings” with Indian basketball. The veteran forward from Chennai returned to the national team after a maternity leave and enjoyed a stellar comeback. She was the captain of the national team and leading scorer (16.4 ppg) when India won Division B of the FIBA Asia Cup for Women held in Bengaluru. When India’s U16 squad stepped out to participate in the Youth version of the same Women’s Cup in Bengaluru later in the year, Paul Durai got her first chance to serve as the team’s assistant coach. Like the seniors, the U16 team won Division B and promotion into Division A.

Jeena Scaria: Scaria (24) took centre-stage for her home state when she led Kerala to their first Senior Nationals gold medal in over thirty years. She was one of India’s top players in the squad that won Division B at the FIBA Asia Women’s Cup in Bengaluru in July. She was also part of India’s 3x3 team which made it to the semi-final of the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup in Mongolia in late October.

Vishesh Bhriguvanshi: Bhriguvanshi (26), India’s best backcourt player and a former national captain, had a topsy-turvy year, but still managed enough to make it to the list of nominees. He became the first Indian to ink a training deal with an Australian NBL team: the Adelaide 36ers. In his first appearance at the UBA Basketball League, Bhriguvanshi was named the league’s Indian MVP, averaging around 28 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds per game, and led the Bengaluru Beast to their first UBA Finals. He helped India win gold at the South Asian Basketball Championship in Maldives and also played in the BRICS Games and the FIBA Asia Cup. An injury in the former, however, side-lined the star guard, and India suffered in international matches without him.

One of these players will go home with the honour of being TOISA 2018’s best basketball player. You can make your own voice heard and vote for the TOISA Sports Awards here.

2017: The Year in Indian Basketball

In Indian basketball, 2017 was a year of oscillating waves: encouraging highlights followed by major disappointments, leading to more highs and more lows. Indian basketball players like Amjyot Singh, Amritpal Singh, Kavita Akula, and others took major strides in testing international waters, while we hosted a number of major international tournaments on home soil. The national teams had a mixed year, however: the men’s squad struggling in international matches, while the women played level in Asia’s lower division. On the NBA development front, a number of new projects were launched to propel Indian hoops forward, culminating with a memorable trip by Kevin Durant.

Here’s a look back at the year’s biggest highlights.

The basketball calendar began, as it usually does, with the Senior National Championship. Held in Puducherry from January 7-14, this year’s edition marked two stories of redemption, as 2016 runners-up Uttarakhand (Men) and Kerala (Women) won gold. Over 50 combined men and women’s teams from across India took part in the tournament.

The final stage of India’s largest collegiate-level basketball tournament—the UBAU All India Inter-Zonal University Basketball Championship for Men—was won by Patiala’s Punjab University in Chandigarh in late February.

The most-hyped and stacked fourth season of UBA Basketball League came to a conclusion with the Finals in Goa in mid-March. The Mumbai Challengers, a team stacked with stars like Alex Scales, Jagdeep Singh Bains, Prasanna Venkatesh, Inderbir Gill, Jimmy Scroggins, and more, completed a 2-0 sweep of the Bengaluru Beast to win their first title. Indian basketball star of the Beast Vishesh Bhriguvanshi was named season 4 MVP.

The Federation Cup, a tournament featuring the top men’s clubs and women’s state teams in India, was held in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) from March 22-26. Dehradun’s ONGC won their fifth-consecutive title while Chhattisgarh bounced back after finals losses the last two years to bag the women’s championship.

In Mumbai, the NBA launched its first-ever Basketball School for India in early April. These schools have a network of tuition-based basketball development programmes. The second one was launched in Delhi later in the year.

Four of India's top basketball players from the national Men's team—Amjyot Singh, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Amritpal Singh, and Yadwinder Singh—headed to Melbourne to take part in Australia's National Basketball League's (NBL) Draft Combine on April 17-18.

The NBA opened the NBA India Academy, an elite basketball training centre, at Jaypee Greens Integrated Sports Complex in Greater Noida (UP) for the top male and female prospects from throughout India in early May. Twenty-one elite male prospects, who were selected following a three-month, nationwide basketball talent search, received scholarships and training at the Academy.

Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried visited India in mid-May to cover the playoffs for the NBA and visit the Taj Mahal.

With four resounding victories in four games, India's Senior Men's national basketball team won their fifth consecutive title at the South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Basketball Championship, held in Male, Maldives, from May 19-23. The team had a strong mix of youth and experience, led by head coach Sappaniambalam Baskar, captained by Akilan Pari, and under the leadership of star players Amritpal Singh and Vishesh Bhriguvanshi.

Indonesia’s women and China’s men struck gold in the third edition of the FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup, held in the Gem-In Shopping Mall in Cyberjaya, Malaysia from May 26-28, 2017. Both of India's teams lost on the first day of the tournament in the qualifying round. 

Talented guard Kavita Akula (21)—from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh—made history by becoming the first Indian-born basketball player to receive full scholarship from a Division 1 college in the United States, the Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) officially announced the appointment of seasoned Serbian Coach Zoran Visic as the new Head Coach of the Indian women's national team from June 1. Visic (61) has been the head coach of Yugoslavia's Women's national team, Serbian junior national team, and has coached professionally in Serbia, Russia, and most-recently, in Romania, over the past 22 years

From June 4-11 in Greater Noida, the finest U-18 teams in the nation took part in the 68th Junior National Basketball Championship. Tamil Nadu (Girls) and Punjab (Boys) rose above the rest and claimed gold at the tournament.  

Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, one of the most experienced and talented players produced by Indian basketball, made history in early July by becoming the first player to be signed by Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). He was offered a one-year training contract by the Adelaide 36ers for their forthcoming season. This contract meant that Bhriguvanshi will be a part of the team as a reserve to train with the club, but will only get to play if he replaces an injured player. Bhriguvanshi injured himself at the BRICS Games and wasn’t available for Adelaide.

The BRICS Games were held in Guangzhou, China, in mid-June, and the basketball tournament at the Games was won by Russia. The Indian team got some good exposure and international practice but finished bottom (fourth) after losing all three of their games.

Two of India's most-famed factories of young basketball talent - Tamil Nadu and Punjab - continued to stamp their authority at the game's youth level when both emerged as victors at the 34th Youth (U16) National Basketball Championship for Men and Women in Hyderabad in early July.

India’s Women’s squad got their first international outing under Visic in mid-July at the 39^th William Jones Cup in Chinese Taipei. Japan won the round-robin tournament while India finished with a 0-5 record at last place (sixth).

Experienced NBA coach Phil Weber was hired to be the coach of India’s Senior Men’s basketball team for the FIBA Asia Cup. Weber came to India after spending several decades as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, and New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA. He returned to the US at the start of the NBA season to get a front office role with the Pelicans.

Weber had no time to get acquainted with the new squad; a depleted team headed to Chinese Taipei for the men’s edition of the William Jones Cup from July 15-23. 3D Canada won the tournament while India—captained by Rikin Pethani—lost all nine of their games and finished at last place.

India hosted a major international FIBA tournament for the first time since 2009. It was the FIBA Asia Women’s Championship in Bengaluru’s Sri Kantaveera Stadium from July 23-29. Japan won a three-peat of titles in this tournament with a nail-biting final win over Australia. India were in the lower Division B and enjoyed a successful campaign, winning all five of their games—including a spectacular final over Kazakhstan—in front of home fans to secure entry to Division A for the next iteration of the tournament. Anitha Paul Durai, who returned to captain the team after maternity leave, was one of India’s brightest sparks, and was assisted by strong performances by Grime Merlin Varghese, Raspreet Sidhu, Kavita Akula, Jeena Scaria, Rajapriyadarshani Rajaganapathi, and the hero of the final, Shireen Limaye.

Basketball Hall of Famer and Chinese Basketball superstar Yao Ming visited India for the FIBA Asia Women’s Cup in Bengaluru.

After an ugly spat between competing committees of the Basketball Federation of India led to the de-recognition of the federation last year, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports finally granted recognition to the “new” BFI in July.

2017 NBA Champion, Finals MVP, and super-duper star Kevin Durant became the greatest basketball player to touch down on Indian soil near the end of July. Durant donated courts in New Delhi, set a Guinness World Record with a massive training session at the NBA India Academy in Greater Noida, and visited the Taj Mahal during his trip.

Australia won the FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon at the high-level tournament, which lasted from August 8-20. Meanwhile Team India, despite sending a full-strength team on paper, suffered from injuries and lack of full preparation, and returned from Lebanon winless and ousted at the preliminary group stage 0-3. Amjyot Singh was one of India’s few bright sparks at the tournament as the team’s leading scorer. Amritpal Singh, Arvind Annadurai, and Baladhaneshwar Poiyamozhi showed flashes of good play in some of the games.

Prashanti Singh, the 33-year-old shooting guard born in Varanasi, was conferred the prestigious Arjuna Award by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on National Sports Day, August 29. Singh was among a list of 17 Indian athletes to receive the Arjuna Award on Tuesday, from sports including Cricket, Hockey, Paralympics, Golf, and more. She became the 20th Indian basketball player to receive the Arjuna Award and just the third woman on the list.

After impressing the team in draft workouts, training camps, and a pre-season tour, Indian basketball star Amritpal Singh was signed by the NBL’s Sydney Kings in Australia, and became the first Indian to be named to an NBL roster. Singh has been a backup player for the Kings through the first few months of the season.

With clinical brilliance, India's under-16 men's squad made no mistake as they blew past their opponents to win the 2nd South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Championship in Kathmandu, Nepal, held from September 5-9. The triumph helped India showcase several of the country's exciting new basketball talents and secured the team's qualification for the larger challenge ahead: The FIBA Asia U16 Championship. 

Lebanon’s Al Riyadi won the 2017 FIBA Asia Champions Cup in Chenzhou, China. I ndia's representative at the FIBA Asia CC was once again Dehradun's squad ONGC - champions of the Federation Cup. But missing a couple of their key players to injury or other professional duties, ONGC lost all of their preliminary round games to return winless from Chenzhou - just like last year. 

At the NBA G-League draft on October 21, Indian basketball star Amjyot Singh was drafted by the Oklahoma City Blue with the 103^rd pick of the day. Amjyot performed well in training and was named to the team’s roster for the start of the season in early November. He became the second Indian to play in the G-League after Satnam Singh, and has been playing bit minutes for the Blue ever since.

Former NBA point guard Andre Miller visited India in the end of October, visiting Delhi’s NBA Basketball School, the NBA India Academy, and the ‘Around the Hoop’ show in Mumbai.

For the second time this year, India played host to one of FIBA Asia's marquee basketball events in the region, with the top youth women from over a dozen Asian nations descending into Bengaluru's Sri Kantaveera Stadium for the 2017 FIBA U16 Asia Championship for Women. As the week-long tournament concluded on Saturday, October 28th, newcomers Australia - playing under the Asian banner for the first time - took the gold medal with a thrilling win over Japan in the final. India, meanwhile, began the tournament in the lower Division B. With many encouraging performances, India dominated the second-tier of the competition, winning all of their games in comfortable fashion and securing a qualification to Division A in front of their home fans. The biggest star to emerge for India from this championship was Uttar Pradesh girl Vaishnavi Yadav. The team’s captain Pushpa Senthil Kumar and guard Neha Karwa also played well.

In Mongolia, the top 3x3 basketball teams from Asia and Oceania took part in the 2nd FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup in Ulaanbaatar from October 27-29. A total of 27 men and women's teams participated in this quickfire tournament, including teams from India. By the end of Sunday, hosts Mongolia took home the Men's gold in front of their home fans, while Australian women finished atop their division. India’s Women were ousted in the semi-final stage and Men failed to make it out of the group stage.

The first-ever window of FIBA's new World Cup qualifying process began around the world this week. These qualifiers were an incredible opportunity to widen the road to the 2019 Basketball World Cup and allow each team in the preliminary stage to play in home-and-away games in the lead-up to the main event for the next few years. India, who were placed in Group C of the First Round of Asian Qualifiers, began their long journey to the World Cup in opening clashes against Lebanon and Syria in the last week of November. Coached by Zoran Visic, the team was unfortunately short-handed and failed to deliver, playing uninspiring basketball to lose both their qualifying games. They already have a gruelling path ahead of them with four more group stage games left over the next eight months. 

2018 is here, and there is bound to be a lot more developments across the Indian “hoopsphere” over the next twelve months. Hopefully, this year is more consistently successful than the last and produced many more shining stars.