UBA launches two-week professional basketball league in India

If you're a basketball fan in India thirsting for some high-level, high-octane hoops action, I suggest you head down to Hyderabad for the next two weeks, and not just for the biryani.

The Universal Basketball Alliance - UBA India - are launching a two-week professional league from Friday, July 17, to be held at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad until July 30th. The 2015 UBA Basketball League will pit off eight teams from all over India in this two week event, which will conclude with the Semi-Finals and Finals on July 29-30th. Apart from some talented young players and India's veteran point guard TJ Sahi in the mix, several celebrities have also been invited to participate in the league's promotion to help create awareness and drive fans to come and support the game.

The eight participating franchises are: Pune Peshwas, Delhi Capitals, Haryana Gold, Punjab Steelers, Chennai Slam, Mumbai Challengers, Bengaluru Beast, and Hyderabad Sky. The opening game - between Bengaluru and Pune - tips off at 2 PM on Friday.

The UBA has acquired the broadcast, merchandise and sponsorship rights to the existing, and self-governing Indian University Basketball Programme. They are currently securing television broadcasting arrangements, securing corporate sponsorships for tournament play, and creating merchandising opportunities. UBA will focus its attention on the AIU and popularizing its All India Inter Zonal Tournament as an entertainment product for Indian viewers to enjoy for generations to come, just as Collegiate Basketball is in the United States. They organized the UBA All India Inter University Basketball Tournament for Men in Chennai from January 12-19.

You can find more information about the UBA here and a full schedule of games in Hyderabad here.

"We have done our home work and have been connected and invited all the schools, colleges and universities across the eight cities to follow the event," said Tausif Shaikh, the Managing Director of UBA, "It will be validated both when the actual spectators come to see these matches and when the games comes on one of the top sports network."

Punjabi star Sahi will be playing for Bengaluru. Another player to watch out for in the tournament will be Yogesh Jadhav, a 7-foot-1 big who will be suiting up for Pune.

The league is not going to feature any of the most-recognizable or top talents in India, the players who more likely to be seen in the Senior National championships or donning the India jersey in international games. This is still a league in its early stage, and most of the players who have been given an opportunity here have likely graduated up from the University league held earlier. Still, it should be a fun event and showcase that India has a lot more basketball to offer than the 'official' events governed by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).

So, where do India's best basketball players play? Sure, the top talent spends a few months every year in national camps, preparing for international tournaments and championships. But for the rest of the year, they and all the other hundreds and thousands of players of all age levels have to settle for national championships (representing their state or work-unit) or sporadic, short invitational tournaments (playing for the government units whom they are employed by). Unlike many other countries, there is still no full-time professional basketball league in India, a league that could contract these players and provide them a steady source of income and basketball every year.

The solution - which would be the first Indian pro league - has been quoted as being 'one or two years away' for five or six years now. The organizers who would behind such a league - the BFI and IMG Reliance - have still not reached full preparation to turn this league from theory into existence.

The UBA has invited minor local and national celebrities like Ali Quli Mirza, Evelyn Sharma, Vidyut Jamwal, Anjana Sukhani, Mugda Godse, and Vidya Malawade to attend the league on various dates and interact with the fans.

Hopefully, the UBA India league provides an alternative and some healthy competition to the race for organized basketball events in India. If this league can be successful, it will turn even more eyeballs towards the sport.

Former India international basketball player Akshay Bhosale dies at 24

Less than a month ago, Akshay Bhosale (24) was one of the top players for Pune's Bharati Vidyapeeth University at the UBA All India Inter University Basketball Tournament in Chennai. In his last major game of basketball, he led his team valiantly with 36 points in a loss to Jain University to see his team finish at 4th place at the national inter-university tournament. But on Wednesday morning, while on a routine warm-up jog, the former young star for Pune, Maharashtra, and a brief international player for India, collapsed and was declared dead by cardiac arrest on arrival at a nearby hospital.

Via the Pune Mirror

Pune lost one of its most promising basketball players after 24-year-old Akshay Bhosale suffered a cardiac arrest on Wednesday morning. The youth reached the BMCC ground half an hour before the usual practice time of 7.45 am and started a warm-up jog but collapsed midway. The six foot two inch-tall forward was practising to make it to the Maharashtra squad which is scheduled to host and play in the Federation Cup in Balewadi next month. The ambulance arrived around 30 minutes after the collapse and Bhosale was rushed to the Joshi Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

"I am not sure if he had some preexisting medical condition. He did face some breathing issues between a match a couple of years ago but we all thought it was due to physical exertion. I am not sure if he went through any check-ups for that," informed a team mate.

According to The Times of India, Bhosale had started his basketball career when he was in class V in Modern High School in Pune. He had represented India at the U-19 SGFI held in Vietnam in 2007. He had played ten nationals in various age groups. He would've been part of Maharashtra team at the upcoming Federation Cup National Basketball Championship.

This is terrible, shocking news. Pune, Maharashtra, and India have all lost a promising talent just about to hit his prime years. I wish the best to Bhosale's family, friends, and teammates in this tough time.

Madras University are crowned India university champions at 2015 UBA national men's tournament

When 16 of the best university basketball teams in India gather together on the same court, fireworks are guaranteed. And for the past week in Chennai, fireworks were delivered. The UBA All India Inter University Basketball Tournament for Men was held at the Sathyabama University in Chennai from January 12-19 as the conclusion of the world's largest combined basketball tournament . The national final was an 'All Chennai' affair, as hosts Sathyabama faced off against local rivals Madras University on Monday. Madras University that emerged as national university champions with an inspired 81-64 victory.

The Universal Basketball Alliance of India (UBA) has acquired the broadcast, merchandise and sponsorship rights to the existing, and self-governing Indian University Basketball Program of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). The UBA worked on securing television broadcasting arrangements, corporate sponsorships for tournament play, and creating merchandising opportunities at the tournament. They have focused their attention on the AIU and popularizing its All India Inter Zonal Tournament in the same manner as the Collegiate Basketball in the USA. In their first year as organizers of the tournament, the UBA invited star former Indian athlete Anju Bobby George, former NBA All Star Cedric Ceballos and Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan as special guests.

Four teams that finished tops in each of the North, South, East, and West Zones in India were invited to this tournament to compete for the national crown.

The battle of the Chennai city rivals at the final on Monday was a rematch of the South Zone championships finale, where Sathyabama had defeated Madras University just ten days earlier. Satyhabama seemed on course for another victory after they got off to a blistering 13-2 start to begin the game. But Madras University turned the corner after a quick timeout to get on top and hold on to a slim four-point lead at halftime. Behind the dominant post play of Jeevanatham P. (26 points, 10 rebounds) and forward N Nagaraj (20 points, 14 rebounds), Madras took complete control of the second half and raced to a 81-64 win. Anto Bethle added 19 for the winning side. Satyhabama were led by Arun Prashanth (19) and Rakesh (17 points, 16 rebounds) in the loss.

Earlier in the day, the bronze medal game was an offensive explosive between Jain University (Bengaluru) and Bharati Vidyapeeth University (Pune). Kapil Gaikwad, representing the Pune side, scored 48 points to lead all high scorers as Bharati had an 16-point lead earlier in the game. But Jain's 'Big Three' of Kaif Zia (36 points 14 rebounds), Yashas R. (31), and Vinoth (25) sparked an inspired second-half comeback to help their team win 123-115 in the entertaining clash. Bharati's Akshay Bhosle also scored 36 for his team in the loss.

Bollywood actor and basketball enthusiast Abhishek Bachchan was the chief guest at the final and handed over the trophies and medals to the teams. On the occasion, he said “Basketball is growing rapidly and is going to be the biggest sport in this country. The Universal Basketball Alliance will continue to have my full support in this great initiative to promote basketball in India.”

Former NBA All Star and slam dunk champion Cedric Ceballos was also a guest at the opening of the tournament along with star Indian athlete Anju Bobby George. Ceballos, who played 11 years in the NBA with memorable stints at the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers, was also a judge at the UBA national championship's dunk contest.

This Inter-Zonal All-India University Annual Tournament is the most comprehensive on the planet, as it encompasses nearly 10,000 colleges. “It is an honour to be here,” said Ceballos at the opening ceremopny. “This is a challenge for passion, this is a challenge for teamwork, and it is also an opportunity for dreams to come true.”