West Zone Teams will be selected from the Tryouts
The National Basketball Association (NBA) selected 14 cagers from Nagpur for the Regional Tryouts of the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA India program 2018-19. In the three day tryouts scheduled to be held at the Deccan Gymkhana courts in Pune from March 8 to 10, eight boys and six girls in the U-14 category from Nagpur have been selected on the basis of the recently held Inter-School Basketball Championship.
This is for the first time that NBA, the organisers of the World’s Best Basketball League in America, conducted its comprehensive youth basketball initiative in Nagpur. After the inter-school tournament held at the Nagpur University courts recently the NBA India scout Phil Calvert selected 14 upcoming city players on the basis of their performance in the championship. From the Training and Tryout Camp the West Zone basketball teams will be selected for 12-team NBA National Championship will also be selected. The shortlisted players from Nagpur, Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore and Bhopal will attend the tryouts.
Over the course of the 3 days, players will undergo training session conducted by Reliance Foundation Jr NBA International coaches through various basketball drills like — positional drills, shooting, ball handling, defense hot shots, free throws, along with scrimmage games to test their playing strengths and abilities. Officials of the Nagpur District Basketball Association (NDBA) briefed all the selected players about the details of the camp on Wednesday. President of the NDBA Sandip Joshi, Secretary Bhavesh Kuchanwar and all the members congratulated all the players and wished them luck for the tryouts.
Secretary of the NDBA Bhavesh Kuchanwar said, “This is a golden opportunity for our young players and we are pleased to host the NBA in Nagpur. The Grassroot initiative of the NBA will only help our youngsters gain additional knowledge of the game and will be helpful for their overall development. The tryouts and training in Pune will provide much needed exposure to our players.”
Following Payers from Nagpur have been shortlisted
Girls: Swastika Datta (Delhi Public School, Kamptee Road), Swati Wankhede (Saraswati Vidyalaya), Dhara Phate, Sameeksha Chandak and Avani Bhantia (all BVM, Trimurti Nagar), and Shomira Bidaye (Centre Point School, Katol Road) Boys: Atharva Rajandekar, Hardik Mange (both Somalwar School, Nikalas), Armaan Tuli (CPS Katol Road), AAshay Varma (Modern School Umred), Taaran Kakkad, Aditya Sharma (both Centre Point School, Dabha), Parth Borkute and Laksh Joshi (School of Scholars, Wanadongri). Accompanying Coach: Swati Kadoo (Centre Point School, Dabha).
