Ludhiana All Set to Host 75th Junior National Basketball Championship from September 2–9
Over 50 state teams in the boys’ and girls’ divisions will battle for glory in a week-long tournament held at the Guru Nanak Indoor Stadium.
Punjab, Ludhiana, September 1, 2025: Ludhiana is set to become the epicenter of Indian basketball as the 75th Junior National Basketball Championship tips off from September 2nd to 9th, 2025, at the Guru Nanak Indoor Stadium.
The youth tournament, organized by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) in association with the Punjab Basketball Association, will bring together the country’s brightest under-18 talent for a week-long showcase of skill and teamwork.
Boys’ Groupings
The boys’ draw has thrown up an exciting mix of traditional heavyweights and promising challengers.
Group A features Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh, setting up fierce battles right from the start.
Group B is no less competitive. Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Maharashtra are all known for producing standout youth teams, with many players going on to represent India.
Group C will see Odisha, Goa, Gujarat, Mizoram, and Puducherry.
Group D includes Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Sikkim.
Group E brings together Andaman & Nicobar, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Telangana, and West Bengal.
Group F completes the line-up with Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tripura, and Uttarakhand.
Girls’ Groupings
The girls’ grouping promises equally intense action.
Group A headlines with Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
Group B features strong units like Punjab, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Rajasthan.
In Group C, Kerala, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal will lock horns.
Group D has Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand.
Group E includes Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, and Puducherry.
Group F rounds off with Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, and Odisha.
Defending Champions Set the Bar
Last year’s Junior National Basketball Championships concluded with Rajasthan and Karnataka emerging as champions in the boys’ and girls’ categories, respectively.
Rajasthan thrashed Chandigarh 107-49 in a thrilling final to lift the boys’ crown. The Karnataka squad beat Punjab by 20 points to claim the girls’ title, 71-51.
This year, both teams will look to defend their legacy, as Punjab will look to avenge the 2024 final loss on their home turf.
Scouting Opportunity
The Junior Nationals have long been the launchpad for India’s finest basketball talent, with many current national team players having earned their stripes on this stage.
One of the most memorable examples came in 2019, when a young Princepal Singh led Punjab to the boys’ title with a commanding 40-point performance against Rajasthan in the final. His rise from junior standout to international player serves as a reminder of what’s at stake for the players competing in Ludhiana this year.
As the ball goes up on September 2, all eyes will be on which state rises to the occasion and claims the crown in this landmark edition of the Junior Nationals.
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