The Basketball Australia Under-20 and Ivor Burge National Championships are the premier events for young and intellectually disabled basketball players in the country. The 2024 edition of the championships will be held in New Delhi, India from Tuesday 9th to Sunday 14th January1. This is the first time that the championships will be hosted outside of Australia, as part of a collaboration between Basketball Australia and Basketball Federation of India.
The Under-20 Championships will feature the best male and female players born in 2004 or later, competing for the national title and the chance to represent Australia at the FIBA Under-21 World Cup. The Ivor Burge Championships will showcase the talents of intellectually disabled players, who will also vie for the national crown and the opportunity to play at the INAS Global Games. Both championships will include the NBA Global Academy, a training center for elite prospects from around the world, who will participate in the initial rounds but not in the finals2.
The championships will be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the largest indoor sports arena in India, with a seating capacity of 16,000. The stadium has hosted several major events, such as the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, and the 2019 NBA India Games. The stadium is located in the heart of New Delhi, close to various attractions, such as the Red Fort, the India Gate, and the Lotus Temple3.
The championships will feature a total of 16 teams in each division, divided into four pools of four teams each. The pool games will be played from Tuesday to Thursday, followed by the quarter-finals and classification games on Friday, the semi-finals and classification games on Saturday, and the grand finals and play-offs on Sunday. The full schedule and fixtures can be found here.
The championships will be a showcase of the future stars of Australian and international basketball, as well as a celebration of the diversity and inclusion of the sport. The championships will also be a cultural exchange between the two countries, as the players and coaches will have the opportunity to experience the rich and vibrant culture of India. The championships will be streamed live on the Basketball Australia website and social media platforms, as well as on the Basketball Federation of India YouTube channel4.
The Basketball Australia Under-20 and Ivor Burge National Championships are not to be missed by any basketball fan or enthusiast. Don’t miss this chance to witness the best young and intellectually disabled basketball players in action, and to support your state or territory team. For more information, visit the official website of the championships, and follow the [Basketball Australia] and [Basketball Federation of India] social media accounts for the latest updates and news.