Amidst the hoopla of UBA players strolling the badminton court in Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune, big-name corporate sponsors, Horner flooring and Spalding goals add the literal foundation to the country’s first professional basketball league.
Horner Flooring Co. trucked in a basketball court surfaces valued at $120,000 to the United Basketball Alliance of India the organisers of the basketball league which is three years old, where in players and fans are visiting daily to watch young pros trying to make names for themselves from eight UBA teams.
Horner, the world’s best flooring for the game has added colour to the league which has been growing in leaps and bounds in this part of the world. However, many of our national players have been deprived of playing on this surface with reasons better known to the federation and the organisers.
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However, this surface Horner flooring has made into the country, thanks to the UBA as this league has given a new horizon to this game. “This is one of the best surface (flooring) in the world and is making a huge difference. They help the product, from an aesthetic standpoint, from an injury standpoint and from a durability standpoint," said Michael Yanke, the chief sales and marketing officer of UBA while talking to Sportskeeda.
Further adding, “This flooring has come to India to stay here and we are here to give the young players the best playing surface which many world class players enjoy around the globe,” said Yanke, who wants to game to take a better shape in this part of the globe.
Yanke is of the notion that the players in India are highly and talented and this court will be an icing on the cake for them.
The flooring comes in handy and can be transported anywhere in India with ease. “This is a portable flooring and we will be taking this wherever the UBA league is held in the country as this is approved flooring by the FIBA,” said Yanke who wants to take the Indian players to the highest level of basketball in the world.
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Flooring is one of the very important aspects of the game and if one can provide the best will see the best of the talents coming out of these budding players as the main aim of the UBA is to promote the sport of basketball at the grassroots level in India by getting professionals teams into the game.
Spalding goals are also making it for the first time in the country. The Spalding in-ground basketball system features a 54” x 32” heavy-duty steel framed, 1/4” tempered glass backboard. A 54" aluminium trim glass backboard. This U-TurnTM lift system provides infinite height adjustment from 7.5' to 10'.
“This is the best goal that can be seen in basketball court, and is used by the NBA and other professional basketball leagues around the globe,” said Yanke about the game which was played in a barn, on a concrete floor, with holes in the ceiling and only a few people in the stands in the past. However, a lot has been changed thanks to the UBA who have beaming the game live.
