From the days of Space Jam and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, basketball has always had a special place in our heart. But we’ve not always been able to live this dream, because of the lack of space in Mumbai.
But it turns out that there are a bunch of courts in town which are available to us. Here are some we found. Happy dribbling!
SAISA {St. Anthony’s Institute Sports Academy}, also formerly PJ Club has two outdoor basketball courts with a really nice smooth concrete flooring and painted lines. People can access the courts between 3pm to 10pm, with an entry fee of just INR 50 or a yearly membership of INR 600.
The court has flood lights, lets you play on first-come first-serve basis and will provide you with balls if accompanied by a member. This is a good place for an evening game, with an opportunity to swim in the adjoining swimming pool.
Don Bosco High School, Matunga, continues to be the best all round boys’ school in sports in Mumbai. The trophies and the accolades bear testimony to this. Sports, as always, have been a happy hunting ground for the Boscoites. The Don Bosco Matunga basketball court is less than a kilometre away from the Matunga railway station.
The court is open to all on first-come first-serve basis and prior booking is required. A bit on the expensive side but the price justifies the experience and ranges from INR 500 to INR 1,500. You can just hop in HOOPERS which is right next to Don Bosco if you are unlucky and don’t get the court. They too have a good court and are priced reasonably.
Located in IIT Powai are facilities for various sports are available in the campus. Floodlit courts for basketball ensure that students and visitors can use these late in the evening as well. They have indoor and outdoor full size court, and you will be provided with balls if there’s a student from the campus present there, and they will charge you nothing to use the court {subject to availability, of course}.
IIT Bombay has one the best basketball facilities in India. Usually, you will find both courts filled with enthusiastic hoopsters – skilled and unskilled. IIT Bombay currently has two well-maintained indoor basketball courts located just in front of the hostel 3. Also they have two well-maintained outdoor courts located opposite to H11 and near New SAC. The court timings are 6am-9am in the mornings and from 5pm-10pm in the evenings. Basketballs are provided at the courts and can be issued on the student’s ID-Card of IIT Bombay. The charges are nominal for outsiders with just INR 100 to INR 300.
This venue ranks fifth in the list of venues for potential basketball players. The tagline, ‘youth shall reshape the world’ justifies this school as it promotes sports and many extra-curricular activities along with sharing knowledge. Here, you have to carry your own basketball and can play games during the day and night.
You can also dribble around YMCA- which has many branches from south Bombay to the suburbs, St Stanislaus School in Bandra West, and Ace Sports Club in Malad East.