Lian Ker: Basketball no longer confined to just one community

New initiative: Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker attempts a shot at the basket during the launching ceremony of the Gatorade Three-on-Three Basketball Challenge. — ART CHEN/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Basketball is gaining popularity among all the races, says Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker.

Lian Ker said the sport was catching on, especially among Malays.

“All the while, people have the impression that basketball is mostly played by the Chinese community,” said Lian Ker after launching the Gatorade Three-on-Three Basketball Challenge.

“But the truth is, we’re seeing more and more Malay youths who play the sport at school level.

“It’s one of the sports that’s easy to be managed as the courts are already available in places like hostels.

“We now also have a non-Chinese leader helming the basketball organisation such as our (Foreign Affairs) minister Datuk Saifuddin (Abdullah, the founder of the Women’s National Basketball League).”

The Gatorade Three-on-Three Basketball Challenge will kick off on Feb 26 next year and run in several phases until the Grand Finale in October.

There will be a total of eight legs taking place at the KL Gateway Mall in Kuala Lumpur (Feb 26); Mesamall, Nilai (March 12-13); Design Village, Penang (March 26); Dewan Serbaguna Indera Mahkota, Kuantan (May 22); Shaftsbury, Putrajaya (June); i-City, Shah Alam (September) and Bukit Jalil (October).The six categories contested are the men and women’s Open, boys and girls’ Under-18, boys’ Under-16, boys’ Under-14 and non-Chinese boys’ Under-18.

The winning teams will walk away with cash prizes worth RM12,000, sponsored goodies and medals.