India Men's basketball team heads to China for the 2017 BRICS Games

In two months, India will once again step out to compete in the most prestigious basketball event they take part in, the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon. Despite being a rising basketball force in the continent, India has only recently begun to climb up the ladder in Asian championships. Last year, at the FIBA Asia Challenge, India finished at 7th place after their best international performance in 27-years. India now has the star-power, the hunger for success, and ample preparation for this year's big FIBA event.

But practice is practice, and as the great Allen Iverson would say, it's "not a game". India needs true in-game experience to be in the best shape and form possible. A few weeks ago, India completed a historic 5-peat at the South Asian Basketball Championship to qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup. Now, with greater competition in the horizon, India has an exciting new opportunity for high-level competition before heading to Lebanon.

From June 17-21, India's Senior Men's Basketball team will be heading to the metropolis of Guangzhou in South China to take part in the 2017 BRICS Games. The "Young Cagers", along with the country's U20 Women's Volleyball Team and the Men and Women's Wushu teams will form the Indian contingent participating in the Games.

The BRICS Games 2017 is a tournament played among the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) with a view to developing sports exchange and cooperation, and promoting mutual friendship. The host country of the BRICS summit organises the annual BRICS Games annually - this year's BRICS summit will be held in China in September. The choices of the games at the event differs each year. The basketball championship this year will be held in Round Robin format, with the best record declared the winner - India's match schedule will be announced soon. The potential to play high-ranking international teams like Russia, China, and Brazil should give India much-needed basketball exposure against elite talent.

India will be heading to Guangzhou with a strong squad coached by Sappaniambalam Baskar and headlined by Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Amjyot Singh (who will return to the team after missing the SABA Championship), Yadwinder Singh, Akilan Pari, Rikin Pethani, and more. The big name missing this lineup is centre Amritpal Singh, who was a big part of India's SABA Championship victory but is unavailable since he has been invited to Australia to take part in the rookie camp for the Sydney Kings.

Team India roster for the 2017 BRICS Games

• Akilan Pari
• Muin Bek Hafeez
• Prasanna Venkatesh Sivakumar
• Anil Kumar Gowda
• Arjun Singh
• Vishesh Bhriguvanshi
• Amjyot Singh
• Arshpreet Singh Bhullar
• Ravi Bhardwaj
• Jeevanatham Pandi
• Yadwinder Singh
• Rikin Pethani
• Head Coach: Sappaniambalam Baskar
• Assistant Coach: Sebastian Padipurakkal Joseph

World Cup Shot Clock: 24 things to look forward to for the FIBA Basketball World Cup

Over the next two weeks, some of the top basketball players in the world will face off at the FIBA World Cup, the biggest global festival of hoops. From top contenders, exciting new faces, dark-horses, and a little bit of history, here are 24 things that you need to look forward to for the World Cup.

Click here to read full feature

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.

Summer of ’80: Indian Basketball at the Olympics

32 years ago, India's Men's basketball team made their first - and last - appearance in the Olympics. While we watch the basketball tournament at the 2012 Olympics in London, let’s take a nostalgic journey back to the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Indian basketball made history.

Click here to read the full story!.

Basketball at the London Olympics: US (A) against the World

This Olympics, like almost every year, it’s USA Basketball against the world. For anyone else in ‘the world’ contingent to pull off a victory, they have to expose any weaknesses that America’s squad of uber-duper stars may have and give in their perfect performance. Here are my predictions for the upcoming international tournament!

Click here to read the full feature!

Argentina beat Brazil to win FIBA Americas

It was the perfect finale for a South American clash, in a match-up that sounds more like the final of the FIBA World Cup or the Copa America than the FIBA Americas Basketball Championship.

But it was indeed a basketball final: Argentina vs. Brazil, the two best and most consistent teams in South American basketball, made their way to the final of the 2011 FIBA Americas, which was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Argentina defended their position as hosts in the perfect manner to a close finish: led by Houston Rockets' PF Luis Scola, one of Argentina's greatest ever players, and the MVP of the championship, Argentina won the final 80-75 over their eternal rivals.

In a fast-paced game, both teams went hard against each other, and it was the presence of Scola (32 points) that proved to be the difference between the sides as Argentina led at halftime. Brazil made their own strong comeback and took a six point lead in the second half, but the close game turned in the last minutes behind clutch play by Scola and Carlos Delfino for Argentina to hand the hosts the victory.

Delfino added 16 points for Argentina. For Brazil, the leading scorer was Marcus Vinicius Vieira Souza.

This was only Argentina's second ever FIBA Americas championship.

Third place in the tournament went to the Dominican Republic, who beat the other strong Americas side, Puerto Rico, in the third-fourth place playoff.

The championship, which is also an Olympics qualifying tournament, was skipped by the Americas most successful ever team, the USA, who had already qualified for the Olympics after winning the 2010 FIBA World Championship. By reaching the finals, Argentina and Brazil also qualified for the 2012 Olympics.

Scola was named MVP, and was a part of the All-Tournament team, which had NBA-experience sprinkled all over it. Scola led the tournament in points per game (21.4).

All Tournament Team

Marcelinho Huertas (Brazil)

Carlos Arroyo (Puerto Rico)

Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

Luis Scola (Argentina) - MVP

Al Horford (Dominican Republic)

USA defeat Spain to defend FIBA U19 Women’s title

The USA U19 Women’s team continued their dominance over women’s basketball, as they defeated Spain 69-46 in the final of the FIBA U19 Championship for Women at Puerto Montt in Chile on Sunday, July 31, 2011. This completed back-to-back U19 titles for the US team, who have also won one U17 and one senior woman’s championship in the past two years.

It was an easy ride for USA in the final, who dominated Spain from the start behind great performances by Stefanie Dolson, Elizabeth Williams and Kaleena Lewis.

Brazil outlasted Australia in a close duel 70-67 to claim the bronze medal.

Brazil’s star forward Damiris Dantas, who averaged 20.9 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women in Puerto Montt, Chile.

All Tournament Team

Damiris Dantas (Brazil)

Rui Machida (Japan)

Ariel Massengale (USA)

Breanna Stewart (USA)

Astou Ndour (Spain)

Video: Chinese National Team beat the Brazilians. Literally.

Hmm... Talk about a "friendly" match.

If you haven't seen this video yet, it's time to feast your eyes on one of the most atrocious things to happen to a major basketball game since Ron Artest went up the stands.

About five days ago, the Chinese National Basketball team were playing a friendly against a team from Brazil, part of their preparation for the 2010 Asian Games that will be held in the home soil for the Chinese (in the city of Guangzhou). In just the first quarter of this game, the referee called a foul on a Chinese player, and the coach of the China Sr. Men's team American Bob Donewald, Jr. reacted angrily (really angrily - cursing out loud, smashing the scorers table, etc.). Play between both teams became rougher, until finally, an open fight busted out on court.

Actually, I would be wrong to call it a "fight." In a "fight", two parties attack each other. This wasn't like that at all - this was more like a spanking. For the lack of a better phrase, the Chinese players "opened a can of whoop-ass" on the Brazilians, beating up black and blue on their home court. The Brazil players did not really respond, and even when everything seemed to be calm and the players began heading back to their locker rooms, they were attacked by the entire Chinese contingent again.

Here is the video:



Shameful. Just shameful.

From China.org.cn:

China's coach, Bob Donewald Jr, was quoted by sina.com as saying: "We really didn't want to pick a fight, but we had to protect ourselves. One of our players was sent to the hospital with concussion. The Brazilian behavior was unprofessional
But the witness told a different story.
"Donewald was the one who goaded the Chinese players into fighting. The players had been pretty much normal until the coach's outbursts. Donewald was howling at the players and the referees from the first minute," said the witness.
"Chinese players Ding Jinhui and Zhang Bo carried out two ferocious fouls immediately after a timeout during which Donewald had said something to them," the witness said.
'Chinese players deliberately picked a fight'
"The Brazilian players applauded the fans as they walked off the court. But that was seen as a provocation by the Chinese players and they chased after them and attacked them again. They deliberately picked a fight," the witness said.
The match was abandoned and the Chinese side put on an in-house training session instead. But the spectators demanded their money back and the organizers have promised a refund.

According to BBC.co.uk, the China's players will be made to attend classes on good sportsmanship.

This is so damn awful, really, the Chinese Federation should be ashamed for this, especially since it is so close to their own Asiad event in less than a month. And Coach Donewald should've known better than watching (or even coaxing) his young players into this kind of situation.

Indian Men are in the preliminary round in the Asian Games' basketball tournament. Head Coach Bill Harris is known for his defensive capabilities, but he'll need some masterful defense to block against this kind of physical assault if India play the hosts.

Turkey FIBA World Championship experiences motivates Indian youngsters

"My ambition is to there, on that basketball court, representing India in the basketball world championships!"

14-year-old Poojamal from the town of Kottayam in Kerala got to realise an amazing dream last week - she was part of the lucky few basketball fans that attended several games of the ongoing FIBA Basketball World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, make dozens of new friends, and be trained by some of the best coaches in the world.

Two Indian sub-junior players, Poojamal, and Yogesh Kanderiya from Rajasthan, had been selected by BFI to be India's official representatives in FIBA's "Children of the World" camp in Istanbul, set to be held around the World Championships. The two youngsters were accompanied by coach P. Deepa Sundari from Tamil Nadu for this experience from August 24-31.

A highlight of this trip was their chance to watch six World Championship games, including three games played by the exciting USA team - USA vs Croatia, USA vs. Slovenia, and USA vs. Brazil. "Just watching these games made me want to be there, playing for the Indian team, and playing against the world's best at this stage," said Kanderiya.

Kanderiya was given further encouragement for his own stellar play when he was chosen as the best Boy player at the Children of the World camp. Around 400 teen boys and girls from 200 different FIBA countries were invited for this camp to improve their basketball skills and participate in 3-on-3 basketball games under the watchful eyes of expert coaches from around the world.

Although only 24 of the best teams in the world participate, FIBA has designed the "Children of the World" project aiming to provide a possibility for official representation of all of the FIBA member countries through "young ambassadors" - young basketball players and coaches who will come together in a global basketball camp. One boy, one girl, (both between the ages of 13-14) and one young coach were sent to Istanbul from each of the FIBA-member countries and were hosted by the Turkish Basketball Federation.

"It was a very good experience," Kanderiya added, "We got the chance to meet other kids from all over the world - from countries like Gabon, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Lithuania, and Bhutan."

"We did a tour of Istanbul as well - it is a beautiful city - we visited several mosques and went shopping, too."

The youngsters did their share of cheerleading for India, too, taking part in the colourful opening ceremony of the Championships and waving the Indian flag high at every occasion!

"We were taught some great drills and basketball fundamentals by the coaches," added Poojamal, "We did passing, dribbling, lay-ups, and ball-handling exercises, and also played 3-on-3 half-court games."

Both the youngsters came out impressed by the Championship games, stating the USA-Brazil thriller, where USA won 70-68 on a last second miss, as the best game of the lot. Poojamal said that her favourite player was Kevin Durant, whereas Kanderiya was a fan of Russell Westbrook - both American players who play for the NBA team Oklahama City Thunder.

The "Children of the World" project was designed to educate, engage, and influence young ambassadors to be aware of and sensitive towards a range of global issues and develop towards playing an active role in their respective countries as "citizens of the world" - judging by the experiences and exposure that these two Indian youngsters received over the past week, it is fair to say that they are not only on the path to become accomplished basketball players but also took a few steps forward as globally aware citizens.