13 schools signed up so far under the theme “Forging Future”
With less than a week to go, anticipation is running high as Mokokchung prepares to host its first-ever Inter School Basketball Tournament, scheduled from July 10 to 12. Organized by the Basketball Association Mokokchung District (BAMD) under the Nagaland Basketball Association (NBA), the event is set to mark a new beginning for school-level basketball in the district.
While inter-school basketball has previously been hosted on a smaller scale by Queen Mary Higher Secondary School (QMHSS), this year’s edition marks a significant transition—bringing the tournament under a formal district sports body for the first time. Significantly, QMHSS has also confirmed participation, now as one of the 13 teams competing in the tournament.
Held under the theme “Forging Future,” the event is scheduled from July 10 to 12 and aims to elevate the level of school basketball in Mokokchung by providing a platform for wider representation, structured mentorship, and professional coordination.
So far, the tournament has already drawn 13 schools—9 boys’ teams and 4 girls’ teams—and registration remains open, with more schools expected to join before the opening day. While several teams are from Mokokchung town, participation from rural schools is also growing. Among them are Yajen Higher Secondary School from Mopungchuket, Changki High School, and Clark Memorial Higher Secondary School, Impur.
Along with QMHSS, Mayangnokcha GHSS, Eden Academy, Christian Residential Higher Secondary School Mokokchung, Straightway Higher Secondary School, Town Higher Secondary School are the schools confirmed to participate from Mokokchung town.
To support schools that may be newer to competitive basketball, BAMD has launched a mentorship programme that runs twice daily, led by a team of around ten volunteer mentors.
For Mokokchung, where football and volleyball has long dominated the sporting scene, this basketball tournament represents a shift—an opening up of new sporting avenues for school youth.