National Basketball Association (NBA) the organizers of the World Best Basketball League in America will conduct its comprehensive youth basketball initiative for three days in Nagpur from Tuesday (February 25 to 27).
The NBA grassroots basketball initiative is for the school going boys and girls of Nagpur and is a part of the Reliance Foundation Jr NBA program.
The Nagpur District Basketball Association (NDBA) will provide all the local support for NBA India’s initiative which is being conducted for the third consecutive year.
In the opening day of the three-day event the American association will make the school students in both the boys and girls’ category work out in a Skills Challenge at the twin courts of Nagpur University at Ravi Nagar on Tuesday. Players in three age categories from U-10, U-12 to U-14 will be eligible to participate in the event which is free for all the schools.
On February 26 and 27, a two-day inter-school basketball championship for boys and girls will be organized at the Nagpur University courts.
The skills challenge will be conducted by International Jr NBA Coach Marko Lepovic of the US. Lepovic is an accomplished coach who has been involved in training in three countries — Serbia, Norway, and the United States.
Secretary of Nagpur District Basketball Association (NDBA) Bhavesh Kuchanwar has appealed to all the schools and physical education sports teachers to enthusiastically participate in the initiative of the Reliance Foundation Jr NBA program.
Secretary of Nagpur District Basketball Association (NDBA) Bhavesh Kuchanwar has appealed to all the schools and physical education sports teachers to enthusiastically participate in the initiative of the Reliance Foundation Jr NBA program.
Bhavesh Kuchanwar said, “We are pleased to welcome NBA again in Nagpur. The event is free for all the participants and is a great opportunity for all the schools. The NBA India has given Nagpur a platform to showcase their talent and at the same time, the event is the best grassroots opportunity to identify talented players that every school has. All the schools should enthusiastically participate in the skills challenge and also participate in the tournament.â€
The Skills Challenge will be conducted in three age categories (U-10, U-12 and U-14) boys and girls. The two-day knockout tournament will be played in the U-14 age group where players born between September 1, 2005, to August 21, 2007 will be eligible to play.
From the two-day tournament last year the NBA selected two city players – Shomira Bidaye and Dhara Phate – to represent the country in the Jr NBA World Championship in Florida.
Like last time, this year too the international coaches of NBA will select a Nagpur team in both the boys and girls section to participate in the Zonal Championship. From this Zonal Championship, a selected West Zone team will be picked for the Jr NBA India National Championship.
The Jr NBA is the league’s youth basketball participation program that provides a fun environment for kids to learn the fundamentals and values of the game and the Skills Challenge is an initial initiative in that process.
The Jr NBA is focused on helping grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents, and offers a free curriculum covering all levels of the game that includes 48 practice plans and more than 250 instructional videos featuring NBA and WNBA players.