Chandigarh (Sports Desk)
"The second season of India’s only FIBA-recognised league, 3x3 Pro Basketball League Indian Sub-continent (3BL) will be held from August 2nd to September 29th, 2019 across five cities in India. In a pioneering move, 3BL is also introducing a women’s 3x3 basketball league, which will be conducted simultaneously alongside the men’s league."
Disclosing this here today at Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh while interacting with the media persons, the Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Punjab, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi said that the second season of 3BL will feature 12 teams including both men and women, competing in 9 rounds over the period of two months. He further divulged that the 3BL in association with the Government of Punjab aims to promote basketball in the state of Punjab that has produced many of India’s best talent and the joining of hands by both the Punjab Government as well as the 3BL would lead to producing world champions in the sport besides improving the standard of the game.3x3 Pro Basketball League now an Olympic & Commonwealth Games sport, To make its debut at 2020 Tokyo Olympics & 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, · Joining of hands by Punjab Government & 3BL to produce World Champions, says Sports Minister, Standards of game also all set to improve, 3BL introduces professional women’s league
Divulging more, the minister said that the 9 rounds of 3BL will be conducted in Chandigarh, Amritsar, Mohali, Jalandhar and Patiala. He further added that Basketball occupies priority in the Sports Department’s scheme of things and the sincere endeavour of the state government is to give fillip to this sport so as to ensure that Punjab produces maximum champion players at International arena. He also added that it is a matter of great pride for Punjab that two star players Amjyot Singh Gill and Palpreet Singh are part of this League.
Speaking on the occasion, League Commissioner Rohit Bakshi said that in an effort to provide a platform to Indian female basketball players, a professional women’s league for 3x3 basketball will be brought to India for the first time 3BL Season 2. He further added that major international women’s basketball tournaments like FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2017, FIBA U16 Women’s Asian Championship 2017, FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2018 and the upcoming FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2019 have also been hosted in India. The women’s league in 3BL will provide an opportunity to the female basketball players to explore a professional career in basketball and further improve the sporting environment for women’s sports in India.
Further more, by conducting the league over nine rounds, 3BL will help increase the points for the Indian federation in the FIBA 3x3 Rankings, which is the decider for a berth on the qualification round for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as 3BL would be making it's debut at the Olympics. The winners of the men’s rounds will also qualify for spots on two FIBA 3x3 World Tour Masters and three Challengers. He also said thanked the Basketball Federation of India and the Punjab Government for supporting 3BL.
It is worth mentioning that 3x3 Basketball is a 10-minute high speed basketball game and it officially became an Olympic sport in June 2017. It will be introduced in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The YKBK Enterprise Pvt Ltd, has the exclusive rights from International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to create and implement an International 3x3 Professional Basketball League in the Indian Sub-Continent.
Owners of all teams were also present at the occasion namely Deepika Deshwal (Chandigarh Beast), Sangram Singh (Mumbai Heroes) Vivek Singh (Delhi Hoopers), Vikas Bansal & Rajeev Tiwari (Gurugram Masters), Rajesh Kumar (Kolkatta Warrior), Rajesh Taneja (Hyderabad Ballers) and Maneesh Tyagi & Shobhit Aggarwal (Lucknow Ligers)