India can be competitve in 3x3 version: Sanchez

Basketball is rising in popularity across the world and although the changing sports culture in India has offered chances for its growth, the game is yet to carve out a space for itself in the country.

India successfully hosted a few international basketball federation (FIBA) events last year and FIBA is again looking to galvanise the sport in the country through the 3x3 format.

The seventh stage of the ongoing 3x3 World Tour Masters is in Hyderabad, where the top two teams from the 3x3 Pro Basketball League, conducted from June 9 to August 26 across the country, will compete for a chance to qualify for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Bloomage Final in October.

“The inaugural 3BL has exceeded our expectations. We believe that 3x3 is the ultimate tool to develop basketball in India,” Alex Sanchez, Managing Director, FIBA 3x3 told DH.

“It is a low-cost format and easy to play. You can play it on any playground. You don’t need costly facilities. The rules are also very simple,” he added.

Sanchez believes India has enough talent to be competitive in the big league.

“We believe and there are data that proves it that India has enough talent to be very competitive in 3x3 basketball and having teams competing at the top level.”

“For example, two years ago there was an Indian team (Team Hamamatsu in 2016) that ended second in the World Tour Final beating the world’s best team and the US national team. The Indians can be very competitive in 3x3,” he remarked.

The 3x3 game will be an event at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Sanchez feels it was only logical for the growing sport to be included in the mega event.

“We have been requesting the inclusion of 3x3 basketball in the games, especially after the success at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and Nanjing.

“The IOC studies prove that 3x3 is the largest urban team sport of the world. So it only makes sense that the largest sport is part of the Olympics,” he said.