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Ludhiana: 5 SCD Government College alumni, including skipper Palpreet Singh, in Indian basketball squad
Palpreet made headlines in 2016 when he was drafted in the fourth round of the NBA D-League tryouts by the Long Island Nets, becoming only the second Indian after Satnam Singh Bhamra — also an LBA alumnus — to reach that milestone
Palpreet Singh, a 32-year-old alumnus of SCD Government College, Ludhiana, is captaining the Indian basketball team at the ongoing FIBA Asia Cup 2025 in Saudi Arabia. The tournament, showcasing Asia’s basketball talent, commenced on August 5 and will conclude on August 17.
Palpreet’s journey began at the age of 13 when he joined the Ludhiana Basketball Academy (LBA) at Guru Nanak Stadium. Though he briefly quit just after three months, he returned to the court in 2010. Later, he completed his Bachelor of Arts from SCD College in 2015.
Teja Singh Dhaliwal, general secretary of Punjab Basketball Association, recalled Palpreet’s early days. “He hails from Doda village in Muktsar Sahib and was trained under coach S Subramaniam at LBA. He is the fourth LBA player to captain the national team — a proud achievement for Punjab basketball.”
Palpreet made headlines in 2016 when he was drafted in the fourth round of the NBA D-League tryouts by the Long Island Nets, becoming only the second Indian after Satnam Singh Bhamra — also an LBA alumnus — to reach that milestone. Currently employed with Indian Railways, he has represented India internationally for over 15 years, featuring in three Asia Cups, an Asian Games, and tournaments in Japan, the USA, and Canada.
Speaking from Saudi Arabia ahead of India’s upcoming clash against the host nation on Saturday, Palpreet said, “It has been an incredible journey. I have given everything to this game.”
Remarkably, four of Palpreet’s teammates — Sahaij Pratap Singh Sekhon, Kanwar Gurbaz Singh, Arvinder Singh Kahlon, and Princepal Singh Bajwa — are also alumni of SCD College and LBA.
Their college coach, Amarpreet Kaur, expressed pride in their achievements: “They trained relentlessly, often beyond college hours. Their dedication has taken them to the international stage.”
India has played two matches so far — a narrow 91-84 loss to Jordan and a 100-69 defeat to China. Sahaij Sekhon was India’s top scorer against China, putting up 14 points. The team now eyes a crucial win in their upcoming group-stage matches.
