DSEDJ expects to hold 117 matches in upcoming ISF basketball tournament

The upcoming 2024 ISF World School Basketball Championship will feature participants from more than 20 countries and regions, the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) announced in a press conference yesterday.

The tournament will include 20 male teams and 17 female teams, with nearly 600 athletes competing in an eight-day tournament.

“We expect to hold a total of 117 matches,” said DSEDJ director Kong Chi Meng.

A press conference was held yesterday by the DSEDJ for the upcoming 2024 ISF World School Basketball Championship that will run from June 23 to July 3 in the region.

The ISF World School Basketball Championship is an international school-level basketball competition organized by the International School Sport Federation (ISF). The event is hosted by a different country or region each year, with the DSEDJ hosting and Melco Resorts, sponsoring this year’s event in Macau.

The tournament aims to promote school sports, promote cultural exchange and understanding, and provide a platform for young athletes of all genders to showcase their skills, and encourage the practice of basketball in schools.

“The event will also feature special guests, Chinese basketball legends, both from the Guangdong Southern Tigers, Du Feng (head coach) and Zhou Qi (center) who will share their experiences with participants,” said Kong.

The opening ceremony and first match will be held at Tap Seac Sports Pavilion on June 23, while the championship will take place at three venues across Macau – at the Macau University Sports Complex, Mong-Há Sports Center, and Tap Seac Sports Pavilion.

China and Macau will field both male and female teams in the tournament, with matches scheduled for June 24 to June 25. The group stage will be held from June 24 to 28, and the knockout stage will take place from June 29 to July 3.

On June 24, the male teams will compete, with China facing Bulgaria at 10:00 a.m. (Mong-Há) and Macau taking on India at 3:30 p.m. (Tap Seac).

On June 25, both male and female teams will participate.

The Chinese male team will face Hong Kong at 10:00 a.m. at the Mong-Há Sports Center, while the female teams will compete at the Macau University Sports Complex. The Chinese female team will face France at 11:45 a.m., Macau will face India at 1:30 p.m., and Turkey will face China.

The ISF World School Basketball Championship 2024 is part of the ISF’s efforts to promote school sports and foster cultural exchange among young people worldwide. Nadia Shaw