BFI announces India's Senior basketball team probables for Lusofonia Games

Because there is some historical Portuguese influence - particularly in the state of Goa - India is an associate member of the Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking countries). Together with other nations of the CCLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) like Portugal, Brazil, and many more. Every few years, the ACOLOP (Associação dos Comités Olímpicos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa) holds the Lusofonia Games. This year, the 3rd Lusofonia Games, are scheduled to be held in Goa from January 18-29th.

12 countries from four continents will take part in nine different sports. One of them is basketball, and the hoops tournament at the Games will be held from January 23-27.

The Games were originally planned to be held in 2013, but was postponed and moved to January 2014 dates.

The countries participating in the Lusofonia Games are: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Macau (China), Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, India, and Sri Lanka.

India, as hosts, will be looking to defend their home turf in both the Men's and Women's divisions in the basketball tournament at the Games. In preparation, the BFI has announced 17 probables for each team to undergo a training camp from January 10-18 at the Don Bosco Matunga in Mumbai. Several names announced in the list of probables were Goan, leading to the BFI denying allegations of a Goan quota for the final teams. The popular Savio Cup basketball tournament will also be taking part at the venue during this time, so a lot of probables will also be actively participating and gaining exposure in one of India's most prestigious club championships.

India's foreign coaches Scott Flemming (Men) and Francisco Garcia (Women) will be leading the two squads. Indian international star Divya Singh will be playing the role of Assistant Coach for the Women's team this time. Women's superstars Geethu Anna Jose and Anitha Paul Durai haven't been selected for this camp, probably to rest them and give an opportunity to younger Women's stars.

Here are India's probables for the Lusofonia Games Basketball Tournament:

Men

• Amjyot Singh (IOB/Tamil Nadu)
  
• Amrit Pal Singh (ONGC)
  
• Riken Pethani (IOB/Tamil Nadu)
  
• Joginder Singh (Services)
  
• Pratham Singh (IOB/Tamil Nadu)
  
• Vishesh Bhriguvanshi (ONGC)
  
• Yadwinder Singh (ONGC)
  
• Narender Grewal (Services)
  
• Palpreet Singh (Punjab)
  
• Sambhaji Kadam (Services)
  
• Vinay Kaushik (Delhi)
  
• Prakash Mishra (Railways)
  
• Loveneet Singh (Punjab)
  
• Basil Philip (Kerala)
  
• Daley Fernandes (Goa)
  
• Lambart Godiho (Goa)
  
• Amish Jain (Goa) - Stand-by
  
• Head Coach: Scott Flemming
  
• Coach: Prasad Rama Linga
  

Women

• Poonam Chaturvedi (Chhattisgarh)
• Rajapriyadarshini Rajaganapathi (Railways/Tamil Nadu)
• Stefy Nixon (Kerala)
• Jeena PS (Kerala) 
• Smruthi Radhakrishman (Railways) 
• Poojamol KS (Kerala) 
• Neenumol PS (Kerala) 
• Sharanjeet Kaur (Chhattisgarh) 
• Priti Kumari (Madhya Pradesh) 
• Ishwari Pingle (Tamil Nadu) 
• Shireen Limaye (Maharashtra) 
• Sangeeta Kaur (Chhattisgarh) 
• Anjana PG (Kerala) 
• Madhu Kumari (Delhi) 
• Nelvie Mendes (Goa) 
• Kezia Fernandes (Goa) 
• Michelle (Goa) - Stand-by
• Head Coach: Francisco Garcia
  
• Coach: Divya Singh
  

Outside of Brazil (who will probably not sent a strong team for this) and perhaps Macau, there isn't likely to be any other big challenge to India in the basketball tournament, so the Young Cagers could seriously be aiming for a medal finish.

The other sports at the Lusofonia games in Goa are Athletics, Football, Judo, Taekwondo, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball, and Wushu. Also, if you're into that sort of thing, the mascot for the Lusofonia Games in Goa is 'JOJO The Majestic Rooster'. Yup.