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August 2017
27 Amjyot Singh - (IND)
18/06/2017
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India set to use BRICS Games as preparation for FIBA Asia Cup

BENGALURU (FIBA Asia Cup 2017) - After their five-peat conquest of the SABA Championship 2017, India will play at the BRICS Games 2017 to prepare for their FIBA Asia Cup 2017 campaign.

The Young Cagers are part of India's contingent for the first ever BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Games, which will be held in Guangzhou, China from 17 to 21 June. India will also send teams for women's volleyball and wushu.

India will be coached by Sappaniambalam Baskar, and they had their training camp for the BRICS Games from 5 to 14 June. For the most part, this team will be composed of the same players who ruled the SABA Championship 2017 earlier this year, but Punjab sniper Arshpreet Singh Bhullar and veteran international campaigner Amjyot Singh are new additions who add considerable firepower and size. Star big man Amritpal Singh will be unavailable in this competition because he will participate in the rookie camp of NBL club Siydney Kings, bu the is expected to return to the national team for the FIBA Asia Cup 2017.

The other members of the team are Rikin Pethani, Yadwinder Singh, Ravi Bhardwaj, Jeevanatham Pandi, Muin Bek Hafeez, Prasanna Venkatesh Sivakumar, Anil Kumar Gowda, Akilan Pari, Arjun Singh and star wingman Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, who is also the team captain.

Baskar sees the BRICS Games as a prime avenue for the team to heighten their preparation for the FIBA Asia Cup in August, especially since the BRICS Games will expose the Young Cagers to much stiffer competition from talents outside Asia. Brazil, however, backed out of the basketball tournament, which means India will face Russia, South Africa and fellow Asian squad China.

The entire championship is played in a round robin format and the team with the best record at the end of this championship is declared the winner.

FIBA