Goa India Team Probables for Lusofonia Games 2014 to Train in Mumbai

Press Release/Mumbai, 3^rd Jan 2014: Senior Men and Women probables for Team Goa India will undergo a training camp conducted by the Basketball Federation of India and supported by the Sports Authority of Goa from 10^th to 18 January 2014.

The men and women will be training in preparation for Lusofonia Games 2014 at Don Bosco Matunga, Mumbai which will also host the Savio Cup. Lusofonia Games is a multinational multi-sport event organized by the ACOLOP (Associação dos Comités Olímpicos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa). It involves those countries, namely belonging to the CPLP(Community of Portuguese Language Countries) and also others where there are significant Portuguese communities. After Macau and Lisbon in 2006 and 2009 respectively, India will be hosting the third edition of the Games in tropical destination Goa which will include sports like basketball, athletics, beach volleyball, football, futsal, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball. Goa popular for white sand beaches, turquoise waters and atropical climate will provide a perfect setting for the Lusofonia Games, which India is hosting for the first time. Basketball Federation of India is also providing technical support to the Lusofonia Games 2014 for the basketball event.

Most of the Goa India team probables will be playing for their respective units in Savio Cup giving them adequate exposure before the Lusofonia Games competition.  After completion of training the selected players from the Senior Men and Women’s team will be departing for Goa on 19^thJanuary 2014 to participate in the Lusofonia Games 2014. Savio Cup will also be featuring an international team from USA.

Mr. Keshav Chandra IAS, CEO, Lusofonia games had given the responsibility to Basketball Federation of India to organise Team Goa India for Senior Men and Women to participate in the forthcoming Lusofonia Games being held in Goa from 23^rd to 27^th January 2014. In order to accommodate Goan basketball talent in team Goa India a selection committee from Basketball Federation of India consisting of Mr. Scott Flemming (Foreign Coach BFI, Men’s Team), Mr. K.K Chansoria (National Coach) and Mr. Abdul Hamid Khan (Indian Coach, Women’s Team) visited Goa to oversee the open trial held on 23^rd Dec 2013 at the Don Bosco Sports Complex Panjim wherein six probables were selected for the Goa India Team. 

Goa has a world class facility and Basketball Federation of India would be looking forward to hosting National Basketball tournaments in the state to encourage participation in the sport of basketball in the coming years. Basketball Federation of India will also look forward to hosting the BFI-IMG Reliance School and College Basketball League in Goa in the coming years to help develop and promote an organized structure of basketball in schools and colleges in the state.

List of Probables -Men’s Team

Head Coach: Mr. Scott Flemming, BFI Foreign Coach

Coach: Prasad Rama Linga, Services

 List of Probables – Women’s Team

Head Coach: Francisco Garcia, BFI Foreign Coach

Coach: Divya Singh, Delhi