Nepal - NeBA gearing up for Asian Championship
Nepal Basketball Association (NeBA) is all set to scale new heights this summer by participating in the First Asian U-16 Three on Three Basketball Championship in Singapore in July. NeBA officials said it would be the association first international appearance outside India.
From www.kantipuronline.com
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Nepal Basketball Association (NeBA) is all set to scale new heights this summer by participating in the First Asian U-16 Three on Three Basketball Championship in Singapore in July.
NeBA officials said it would be the association first international appearance outside India.
Players, according to NeBA, would be selected from the talent hunt programme that commenced at the Dashrath Stadium a
couple of days ago. Currently, the talent hunt programme has received applications from around 120 students and only eight players, including four in the boys team and as many in the girls team, would be selected for the steam.
Once the selection process gets over, NeBA will shortlist 20 players from the boys' section and 12 from the girls' section before providing scholarships to them in various colleges in Kathmandu.
NeBA official Biku Maharjan said the tournament is still three moths away and judging by the way, the preparations have been going, the players have shown zeal to produce good results. Maharjan, however, dismissed any expectations of a good result due to technical superiority of the international participants, saying that the participation would usher in a “new era” in Nepal's basketball.
“The tournament will give our players an international exposure, attracting more youngsters into basketball together with contributing to the development of the game as a whole,” he said.
It is said that physical disadvantage, the Achilles heels of Nepali athletes in any international events, will prove a major obstacle this time round as well. But Maharjan said there were few boys among the 120 players who are blessed with good physique along with talents.
While emphasising on the talent hunt programme, Nirajan Satyal, another NeBA official, said the programme is aimed at bettering the quality of basketball in the country. Moreover, he said, it would help youngsters engage in something productive than just sitting idle. “We charge just Rs. 1,500 for two months and the results are rewarding.”