Kottayam (Boys) & Kozhikode (Girls) win 1st St Joseph's ABCA All Kerala Junior Basketball Tournament

The Amateur Basketball Coaches Association of Kerala (ABCA) organized the 1st ever St. Joseph's ABCA All Kerala Junior Basketball Tournament for boys and girls from April 5-7 at the Sacred Heart CMI Public School, Thevara, Ernakulam. Kottayam (Boys) and Kozhikode (Girls) won their respective finals on Monday, April 7, to lift the inaugural trophies.

Kottayam defeated Thiruvanathapuram 67-58 in the Boys' Final, despite a game-high 20 points by Prem Prakash for the losing side. In the Girls' game, Kozhikode completely dominated Kottayam for an easy 34-16 win.

Sugeeth Nath of Kottayam (Boys) and experienced youngster Elizabeth Hilarious of Kozhikode (Girls) were named the Best Players of the tournament. Amal Anto of Thiruvanthapuram (Boys) and rising star Poojamol KS of Kottayam (Girls) were named the Most Promising players of the tournament.

The winners in both sections received Rs. 5000 cash prize while the runners-up were handed Rs. 3000 each.

Ernakulum (Boys) and Kollam (Girls) finished at third place for their sections.

Kerala's 1st Reliance Foundation Jr. City Championship concludes with Muggsy Bogues in attendance

NBA and Reliance Foundation teamed up to launch the comprehensive Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Programme for school-children in India. In its first season, the programme was held across over 150 schools in Mumbai and Kochi over the last four months.

On Saturday, February 8th, the Kochi leg of the programme and thus the first phase came to an end in a colourful and exciting finale at the Sacred Heart CMI Public School in the city, which was also attended by former NBA player Muggsy Bogues, who had returned to India to support the event and help train coaches and young players. In Kochi, over a 1,000 children participated in the Foundation's events. Overall, more than 100 schools and 80,000 youth participated in the programme in Kerala.

Various competitions were decided on the same day, including tournaments in 5x5 and 3x3 basketball for both boys and girls and the 'Hot Shot' shooting competition for boys and girls of various age groups.

Winners

• 5x5 Boys: Rajashree School (Aluva)
  
• 5x5 Girls: Little Flower Convent HSS (Koratty)
  
• 3x3 Boys U16: Sacred Heart CMI Public School (Theravara)
  
• 3x3 Girls U16: YMCA Kottayam
  
• 3x3 Boys U13: Lajanath School (Alappuzha)
  
• 3x3 Girls U13: Little Flower Convent HSS (Koratty)
  
• Hot Shot U10 Boys: Rasheen (Lajanath School)
  
• Hot Shot U10 Girls: Ann Paulose (Sacred Heart CMI Public School)
  
• Hot Shot U13 Boys: Shaun Louis (Sacred Heart CMI Public School)
  
• Hot Shot U13 Girls: Jayalakshmi (St. Joseph's Girls High School)
  
• Hot Shot U16 Boys: Jovel Jose (Navanirman School)
  
• Hot Shot U13 Girls: Neha Mathew (Gregorian Public School)
  

Muggsy Bogues distributed the trophies and certificates to winning players and teams.

Bogues - the shortest player ever in the NBA -  had been present to tip off the event on February 6th., where he said, "This is my second time to India and the game is definitely growing quickly. The Reliance Foundation and the NBA are conducting a great program and it is an honor to help teach basketball and to let kids know that you do not have to be 7-feet tall to play basketball."

Bogues' previous trip to India was two years ago, when he held a clinic for school-kids in New Delhi.