Coimbatore District Basketball Association (CDBA) is all set to organize the 59th Nachimuthu Gounder Cup for Men and 23rd CRI Pumps Trophy for Women – two national level Basketball Tournaments at the Coimbatore Corporation’s semi-indoor basketball stadium near Nehru Stadium from May 27th to 31st, 2026.
Balaji, Secretary, CDBA along with Deebala, Joint Secretary of the association officially announced the tournaments on Monday.
8 leading men’s teams will compete for the Nachimuthu Gounder Cup while 8 leading women’s teams will compensate for the CRI Pumps Trophy. In the men’s category, the defending champions – Indian Army,will not compete. However, KSEB Trivandrum, the defending champion in the women’s category will compete.
All matches will be held from 4 pm to 9 p.m. The matches will be played in league format from May 27th to 29th. The SemiFinals will be held on 30th while the Finals will be held on 31st of May. The total prize money amounts to nearly Rs.3 lakh. Entry is free for the public. Spectator galleries will be installed and ample parking space will be provided.
Speaking further about basketball in Coimbatore and Tamil Nadu, Balaji said that in district-level representations across Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore ranks as number one in the Under-13, Under-16, and Under-18 categories.
Over the past seven years, approximately 52 players from Coimbatore have represented the national team, and six players have gone on to represent India internationally.
Out of these players, around 7 have secured employment with institutions like the Railways. Across Tamil Nadu, roughly 30 to 40 basketball players have gained employment through sports quotas. More than 100 players have benefited from the government’s 3% sports quota, receiving eligibility through tournaments like the CM Trophy.
According to Balaji, efforts are being made to establish a local basketball league in Coimbatore, mirroring the structure of IPL to provide players with better exposure and benefits.
