2019 FIBA 3x3 National Championship: Kochi Stars (Women) and Punjab Steelers (Men) triumph in Bengaluru

Last week, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) conducted the 2019 FIBA 3x3 National Championship in Bengaluru, pitting together some of the nation's top 3x3 basketball squads in both men and women's categories in an event that also served as the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 Qualifiers. The event was held in the outdoor courts of Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium from August 22-24 featuring 17 men's and 12 women's squads.

At the finals on Saturday, August 24, Kochi Stars (Women) and Punjab Steelers (Men) triumphed to win the gold and secure their appearance in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Quest 2019 Finals.

Kochi Stars featured former international and Arjuna Awardee Geethu Anna Rahul - recently unretired - along with Smruthi Radhakrishnan, Surya, and Sonumol Soman. They defeated Maratha Yodhas in the women's final, 21-13.

In the men's final, Punjab Steelers defeated hosted Bengaluru Bulls. The star-studded Punjab squad featured some of India's top current players, including Amritpal Singh, Amjyot Singh, Arshpreet Singh Bhullar and Rajvir Singh Aujla.

Cochin Customs (Men) and Delhi Warrior (Women) each finished at third place.

The winners in both categories were awarded a cash prize of Rs. 75,000/-. The runners-up received Rs. 50,000/- and third-placers returned home with Rs. 25,000/- each.

The champions in both the sections - Punjab Steelers and Kochi Stars - will represent India at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Quest 2019 Final to be played in Male (Maldives) from Sept 6-8, 2019.

Bengal Tigers (Men), Ludhiana Sparx (Women) win FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers in Bengaluru

In a first-ever iteration of the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 - India Qualifiers - held on June 23-24,2018 - dozens of teams in both the men and women's divisions from around the country descended to Bengaluru. Organised by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), the event concluded on Sunday evening at Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium with the Bengal Tigers (Men) and Ludhiana Sparx (Women) emerging as champions.

In the Men's final, Bengal Tigers of West Bengal defeated Punjab's Ludhiana Steelers 22-17 to win the tournament.

In the women's section, Punjab's Ludhiana Steelers defeated the Tamil Nadu Tigers 16-10.

Both winning squads were rewarded Rs. 75,000 while the two runners-up got Rs. 50,000 each. All the four finalists will thus represent India in the South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Quest stop. The SABA Quest stop carries a total prize money of USD 10,000 with the top teams going on to the Quest Final.

Third place was won by Tamil Nadu Tigers (Men) in a 22-13 win over Hyderabad Tigers. Bengaluru Wings (Women), the team with the local support, defeated Bengal Tigress 10-6 to win the women's bronze. Both bronze-medallists were rewarded Rs. 25,000 each.

T. Suneel Kumar, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner was the chief guest and gave away the prizes along with BFI's president K Govindaraj, MLC and Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma.

Complete results of the event and player profiles of the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 - India qualifiers are available here.

FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 India Qualifiers to be held in Bengaluru this weekend

The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) affiliated national 3x3 event will be taking off this weekend. The FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 - India Qualifiers are scheduled to be held in Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium on June 23-24, 2018. This FIBA 3x3 event, organised under the aegis of the BFI, will feature 12 city-based teams in two categories (men and women) representing the BFI's affiliated units around India.

The winners and runners-up of the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers will represent India at the South Asian Basketball Association (FIBA Sub-Zone) Quest stop. The SABA Quest stop carries a prize money of USD 10,000, with the top teams going on to the Quest Final.

BFI's president K Govindaraj said that the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers were the ideal opportunity that the BFI were looking for to tip off the FIBA 3x3 movement in India. "FIBA 3x3 is a great concept is a boon for Indian basketball on many counts," said Govindraj. "It not only helps us widen the base for basketball thus increasing the popularity of basketball in India, but also is a fantastic opportunity to increase the number of the organisers for basketball events in India."

"The ultimate aim for BFI is to take the Indian team to the Olympic 3x3 competition."

This, of course, is not the first major 3x3 event in India. The YKBK Enterprise launched the 3BL, a FIBA-recognised 3x3 basketball league in India, two weeks ago in New Delhi. 3BL's first season is being held in six Indian cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Aizawl, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore - from June 9 to August 26 this year with twelve teams. This weekend, while the BFI's Asia Quest event takes place in Bengaluru, 3BL's second round will be in progress in Aizawl.

The BFI's launch of this 3x3 event doesn't come without controversy. On the same day as the 3BL announced their launch, the BFI announced a ban on all 3x3 players in India from playing in national 5x5 events, and vice versa. More recently, the BFI banned two players associated with the 3BL's launch - Amjyot Singh and Palpreet Singh Brar - from federation's national events for one year.

Now, the BFI is entering the competition with their own 3x3 event. The BFI's secretary-general Chander Mukhi Sharma said that the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers will tip off their long-term FIBA 3x3 project.

"BFI has chalked out a long-term FIBA 3x3 program with a competition structure that will involve more than 500 games across India every year," said Sharma. "We do believe that the FIBA 3x3 is certainly the way forward and are certain that it will act as a catalyst in improving the standard of basketball along with increasing the popularity of the sport."

Games at the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers are scheduled to tip off at 4 pm on Saturday June 23, 2018 and through the whole of Sunday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium outdoor courts.