GUWAHATI, June 21 - The Basketball Association of Assam (BAA) will host the Dinesh Saikia Memorial Inter District Youth (U-16) Basketball Championship at the RG Baruah Sports Complex court here from June 23 to 25.
Disclosing it in a press conference here today, BAA president Pulak Goswami said altogether 22 teams, 9 girls and 13 boys, from districts like Guwahati, Kamrup, Nagaon, Morigaon, Jorhat, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Dima Hasao, Sonitpur, Goalpara, Chirang, NF Railway and Kamrup (M) will vie for titles.
The BAA secretary Mukut Medhi revealed that the tournament has been named after Dinesh Saikia who had been instrumental in developing the game in the State both as player and organiser. It will be a fitting tribute to Saikia who passed away few months back.
The BAA has recently organised a coaching camp where 70 boys and girls from different places of the State took part. The State basketball body picked few players from the camp and will select more players from the I-D meet and finally the State team for the U-16 National Basketball Championship, to be held at Hyderabad from July 1 to 8, will be prepared.
Organising body chairman Jadab Deka informed that they are bracing up to host the tournament successfully. He further said, to give additional attraction to the event, they are planning a display of fireworks with crackers from Barpeta which will be sponsored by Arun Pathak.
Sports Minister Naba Kumar Doley will inaugurate the championship while NF Railway GM Chahate Ram will be the chief guest in the closing function.
The BAA has proposed to appeal the State government to provide a pension to Dinesh Saikia�s family.
Other organising body members Bijoy Gupta, Dhruba Barman were also present in the press meet.
