Pele Khezhie and others at 3x3 Basketball Tournament in Kohima on June 27.
Our Correspondent
Kohima | June 27
The first-ever 3x3 Basketball Tournament 2025 under the aegis of Team Heist got underway on June 27 at D Khel Ground, Kohima Village.
Addressing the young players as special guest of the inaugural function, Pele Khezhie, President, Northeast Taekwondo Union and Nagaland Taekwondo Association, and Chairman, Dapfütsumia Council, encouraged the players to focus on discipline if they aim to become professionals and compete at national and international levels.
“Nagas have a natural talent for sports, but it’s important to specialize in one field to truly excel,” he said.
Highlighting the past challenges, Khezhie noted that athletes in Nagaland and the Northeast once lagged behind due to inadequate sporting infrastructure. However, under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio, who also heads the Nagaland Olympic Association, the state government has been investing in youth development through sports and arts.
Khezhie also expressed optimism that participation of teams from Assam would foster stronger bonds and mutual understanding among players.
MoU with Korean for training Naga in Taekwondo
Meanwhile, Khezhie announced that the Nagaland Taekwondo Association, in collaboration with the state government, will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Korea on July 10 to train young Naga athletes in Taekwondo.
He hoped that similar efforts would be made in other disciplines to support the young talents.
The two-day event features a total of 32 teams (21 under the U-19 Boys category and 11 under U-21 Girls) including participants from neighbouring Assam. The champions in each category will receive Rs 15,000 along with a trophy, while the runners-up will get Rs 10,000 and a trophy.
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) will be awarded Rs 3,000.
The tournament was officially opened with a prayer by Dr. Pithungo Ngullie, Pastor of Kingdom Harvest Church, Kohima.
The programme was chaired by Team Heist founder, Kekhriesier Khezhie.
The meet will conclude on June 28.
