BFI & FIBA Backed 3BL to expand its Women’s League to 12 teams in Season 4

Seeing the overwhelmingly positive response at the recently concludedthird season of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and International Basketball Federation (FIBA) backed 3x3 Pro Basketball League (3BL), the number of women’s teams is all set to double for the next season.3BL Season 3 was held in Hotel Wyndham Chandigarh Mohali from 8^thto 21^st March 2022 and witnessed participation from leading national and international men’s and women’s 3x3 Basketball players.

A post-season press conference was held earlier today at Taj Mahal hotel, conducted by 3BL Commissioner Mr. Rohit Bakshi and Mrs. Prerna Sharma, Director of YKBK Enterprise Pvt. Ltd., which owns the ‘3BL’ intellectual property. Also in attendance was the 3BL Season 3 women’s champion team Delhi Divas (women) including Prerna Sharma, 3BL Director.

3BL Bats for Inclusivity by Introducing Six New Women’s Teams

3BL Season 3, held earlier this month, featured 12 men’s teams and 6 women’s teams.

“We are delighted with the competitive fire with which all teams, especially women, participated. In a conscious endeavor to bring parity and enhance inclusion, come 3BL Season 4, we will be doubling the number of women’s teams from six to twelve,” Mrs. Prerna Sharma, 3BL Directorsaid. “With this move, we carry on our relentless push to provide equal opportunities and acknowledge the love for basketball among Indian female athletes.”

“From the next 3BL season onwards, the number of women’s teams will be the same as the men. This will add to the growing list of Indian women’s players registered on the FIBA 3x3 portal and continue to drive up the Indian women’s ranking to bring it on par with men,” Mrs.Prerna Sharma said.

3BL Women’s League Champion team to compete in Asian 3x3 Cup

Former India captain Raspreet Sidhu led Delhi Divas were crowned the champions of the second season of the Women’s League that was held alongside the third season of the Men’s League.

“Delhi Divas will be joining men’s runners up Ahmedabad Wingers, at the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) 3x3 Cup in Indonesia. I am proud to be the owner of Delhi Divas and we will support our team to win the Championship title in ABL as we did in 3BL Season 3,” said Mrs. Prerna Sharma said.

The upcoming ABL 3x3 Cup will be held in Bali, Indonesia on 16-17 April, and Delhi Divas’ participation will mark the first time in history that an Indian women’s basketball club team is competing in an international competition.

“On behalf of all the players from the Women’s League, I take the opportunity to thank [3BL Commissioner] Mr. Rohit Bakshi & Mrs. Prerna Sharma Bakshi [3BL Director] for giving all the young girls a platform. This [3BL] is what India needs. We need a stage to showcase our talent,” said Raspreet Sidhu of Delhi Divas, who was named the women’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 3BL Season 3.

3BL elevates Indian Basketball by giving players a viable career choice& high visibility

Top Indian men’s and women’s team stars from across the country including VisheshBhriguvanshi (Arjuna Awardee and captain of the men’s national team), AnithaPauldurai (Padma Shri), Geethu Anna Rahul (Arjuna Awardee), Raspreet Sidhu (Delhi), Amritpal Singh (Punjab), Palpreet Singh (ex-NBA player), Princepal Singh (ex-NBA player), LalrinaRenthlei (Mizoram) and Stephy Nixon (Kerala), to name just a few, were seen in action across 18 total franchises (12 men’s and 6 women’s).

All games were broadcast live on Sony LIV. Additionally, special weekly programming documenting the entire 3BL Season 3, is currently being aired on Sony SIX. The first two episodes of the ‘3BL Show’ were telecast last weekend, and the remaining four episodes will be broadcast on 2-3 &9-10 April between 7-8pm.

“We want to make stars out of Indian basketball players. For the first time in Season 3, besides regular streaming on the official 3BL and FIBA 3x3 platforms, all games were broadcast live on Sony LIV,” Mrs. Prerna Sharma, 3BL Director, highlighted.

“The ‘3BL Show’ on Sony Six is our added attempt at introducing the general sporting community to the specific rules of 3x3 basketball and what makes it different from the traditional 5-on-5 format,” Mrs.Prerna Sharma said.

Earlier, on two separate occasions, after witnessing first-hand, the live action from 3BL Season 3 in Chandigarh, BFI Secretary-General Mr.ChanderMukhi Sharma had lauded 3BL’s efforts. “I congratulate the organizers of 3BL Mr. Rohit Bakshi and his team, who successfully conducted this championship where he provided opportunity to the Indian as well as the foreign players to play here. It will definitely give us a great opportunity for the Indian players if these type of activities are regularly conducted in the country. Moreover, after this, the winners and runners up will get a chance to play in the World Tour. So our players will get good experience,” MrChanderMukhi Sharma, BFI Secretary General said. 

3BL to Make Indian Basketball’s Olympic Dreams a Reality

Thanks to participation in 3BL Season 3, the Indian Men’s FIBA 3x3 ranking, in particular, has seen a spectacular jump from 70^th to 15^th.

“We need to not only maintain our FIBA 3x3 World ranking, but also improve to be among the top 4 by 31^st October 2023, to ensure both our men and women’s teams qualify to the 2024 Paris Olympics,” Mrs.Prerna Sharma said. “Even though 3BL Season 3 has been successfully completed, we are planning a number of other exciting activities throughout the year until we return with 3BL Season 4 next year. These new endeavours will be announced in due course.”