Punjab Sports and Youth Affairs Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi announced that the state government would provide jobs to players who bring repute to the state in national as well as international level. He assured that cash prizes would also be given to them. He said this while speaking on the occasion of finals of 70th Senior National Basketball championship that concluded at Guru Nanak Stadium, here today.In his address, Punjab Rural Development & Panchayats Minister Mr Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa today said that the Capt Amarinder Singh led Punjab government is committed for providing best sports facilities to its players so that they can perform well at national as well as international level. Anandpur Sahib MP Mr Manish Tiwari congratulated the winner teams on the occasion.Mr Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi said that a total of 30 teams in boys section while 26 teams in girls section competed in this event. He informed that for around 150 matches, 100 technical experts and referees from Basketball Federation of India were deputed and all the teams were divided into 6 different groups.
The finals of the 70th Senior National Basketball Championship (boys & girls) were organised at Guru Nanak Stadium Ludhiana and the matches were held from December 21-28, 2019, which were dedicated to the 550th Parkash Purab celebrations of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.Punjab defeated Tamil Nadu in the finals of the boys section by 93-75, in which Mr Arshpreet Singh Bhullar scored 33 points to lead his team to victory. The Indian Railways defeated Kerala by 68-55 to clinch the trophy in girls section. Uttarakhand was the second runners up of boys section after they defeated Indian Railways by 75-74, whereas Madhya Pradesh eves defeated Punjab team by 73-69 to become the second runners up in girls section.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Punjab Basketball Association President Mr Rajdeep Singh Gill, secretary Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal, organising secretary and Commissioner of Police Ludhiana Mr Rakesh Kumar Agrawal, Deputy Commissioner Mr Pradeep Kumar Agrawal, Chairman Pawan Dewan, Arjuna awareness Mr Parminder Singh senior, Mrs Suman Sharma, NBA player Mr Satnam Singh Bhamra, hockey olympian Mr Hardeep Singh Grewal, Dronacharya awardee Mr Baldev Singh Shahbad Markanda, film actor Miss Nirmal Rishi, social activist Mr SPS Oberoi, Mr Gurjit Singh Romana, Mr JP Singh, besides several others.