Indian Centre Amritpal Singh shines as Sydney Kings win Atlas Challenge

• Amritpal Singh, seasoned centre of the Indian national team, notched up another double-double for the Sydney Kings, helping them to a 79 – 65 win over Lithuania in the final of the Atlas Challenge in China.

• This is his third double-double of the tournament, capping off a stellar sequence of games where he helped the Sydney Kings maintain a perfect record.

• The Sydney Kings were approaching the tournament as an opportunity to evaluate prospective players, and Amritpal Singh will be very optimistic about his chances.

Amritpal Singh with the Atlas Challenge trophy.

Bengaluru/Suzhou, 24^th July 2017:  Amritpal Singh, the near 6’ 10’’ centre of the Indian national team, had another dominant performance for the Sydney Kings in the final of the Atlas Challenge in China. Amritpal notched up another double-double, his third of the tournament, with 17 points and 16 rebounds. The Sydney Kings won the final against Lithuania 79 – 65, capping off a perfect tournament.

The Sydney Kings were approaching the tournament as an opportunity to evaluate prospective players who may make the Sydney Kings roster at a later stage. After a stellar showing over the course of the tournament, Amritpal Singh will be very optimistic about his chances.

Singh had been formally invited to join the Sydney Kings for the Atlas Challenge 2017, after he impressed a number of teams at the National Basketball League (NBL) Draft Combine in Melbourne, Australia earlier this year. He was part of a four member contingent that also included Amjyot Singh, Yadwinder Singh and VisheshBhriguvanshi. A report on the official NBL website reflects high praise for the Punjab centre, and played up his potential to become the first Indian-born player to play in the NBL. Among the stand out features of his play were his defensive presence around the rim, finishing the Combine tied as the leading shot blocker.

About the Atlas Challenge 2017

The Atlas Challenge 2017 is an invitational tournament that consists of eight teams from various countries. The tournament is being played from 16^th to 25^th July 2017, in the city of Suzhou which is 100 km from Shanghai, China.

About the Sydney Kings

The Sydney Kings is a franchise in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL). A three-time NBL Champion, Sydney Kings are based out of the city of Sydney, New South Wales. The franchise was founded in 1988 and is owned by AEG Ogden. All of the Kings’ home games are played at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park which is also popularly known as ‘The Kingdome’.

For more information visit: www.sydneykings.com

About the National Basketball League

(Sourced verbatim from the official NBL page. The link: www.nbl.com.au/history)

The National Basketball League of Australia is regarded as one of the premier basketball leagues in the world, and after a humble beginning, is today home to some of the world’s best players.

In 1978, New South Wales Basketball president John Raschke sat with 10 interested parties in an unused aircraft hangar at Sydney Airport to discuss the formation of a national competition that would help the development of the sport throughout Australia.

A national competition was also seen as a way of improving the standard of players who would compete for Australia at events such as the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Since that day, the NBL has grown from a fledgling competition with games played in front of just a few hundred people to a league that attracts more than 750,000 spectators each season, as well as prime-time television audiences for games broadcast nationally.

While games were initially played in small suburban stadiums, clubs now perform at major Australian arenas, including Perth Arena which can seat 14,000+ spectators.

Basketball also has one of the highest participation rates of any team sport in Australia, with numbers continuing to grow each year.

Between 1979 and 1997, the NBL season was played between April and September, but in 1998 the league moved its season to the summer place, with games played between October and April.

Eight teams currently compete in the NBL – the Adelaide 36ers, Cairns Taipans, Melbourne United, New Zealand Breakers, Perth Wildcats, Sydney Kings, Brisbane Bullets and Illawarra Hawks.

About Pursuit

Pursuit India Sports & Entertainment Pvt Ltd is an Indian sports management company that is working towards revolutionizing India’s alternate sports starting with basketball. The aim is to find and create the right opportunities for budding athletes with the talent and potential to succeed at the international level. Through its grassroots network, Pursuit is able to scout athletic talent from a young age and help them along their playing careers, whether in India or abroad. Pursuit regularly ties up with leading media companies and brands to leverage greater mainstream recognition of our sportspersons. Besides player management and scouting, Pursuit is also working towards improving India’s sporting infrastructure and competitive structure.

For more information visit: www.pursuitindia.com