PANAJI

Don Bosco Oratory along with AOA Basketball Academy, has announced the first ever B-Division Basketball League of Goa – ‘The Challenge’ under the aegis of Goa Basketball Association. Nine men teams and three women Teams will be participating in the league to be held in the next 12 Sundays (3 months). The top two teams will then participate in the A League – ‘Championship’ to be held later in September.

In an attempt to promote basketball in Goa, under the leadership of Girish Lotlikar, GBA has planned a series of Basketball leagues that will give a constant match exposure to the teams and help raise the standard. The B-Division league will be followed by the A League to be called the ‘Championship’ to begin in September this year. Also in mid-June, GBA will be organising the Inter School (under-19) School League, under the aegis of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) where the winning school team will participate in the national school league in Kolkata.

The League will be held at various venues in Goa starting with DBO Fatorda, on its newly constructed outdoor fibre court. The other venues are Porvorim, Saligao, SFX Siolim and Don Bosco Oratory, Panjim. GBA presently has 22 Clubs, 39 Teams and 595 Players registered on the official record. This growing interest and exponential growth in the sport has inspired Don Bosco Oratory to take the initiative of organising the league. The league was first conceived of by Sir Michael Dias (DBO Coordinator) and Olencio Dias (AOA Baskebtall Academy) to give weaker team a healthy competition to develop and help promote disciplined officials. Each participating team besides organising proper kits and fixed Jersey nos, have to sign an agreement of discipline and promote two officials to organise the league. The officials will be trained by GBA with periodic instructions and match experience.

“The GBA has associated itself with ‘Hudl’ a sports analytics company that will help professionally analyse each game for the benefit of the players and development of sport.  This collaboration will help improve the sense of discipline and analysis in the game,” said Fr. Ralin D’Souza, secretary of Goa Basketball Association.

 Fr. Ralin further said that the matches will be held at 4PM to 7PM making it convenient for basketball lovers to watch the games.