Chandigarh [India], May 17 (ANI): Team 911 emerged victorious at the Red Bull Half Court 2026 National Finals with a 14-12 win against John Deere in the final. Jashandeep Singh, Ujjwal Eknoor Singh and Manveer Dhaliwal made up the 911 squad, and they will now represent India in the World Finals in Manila, Philippines, in December 2026.

The Red Bull Half Court 2026 National Finals lit up Sector 17, Chandigarh, as 8 top teams brought high-energy basketball action to the court, which made for a competitive event, according to a release.

The Red Bull Half Court 2026 had a strong focus on Punjab, as it is the hotbed of Basketball in India. And ahead of the Red Bull Half Court National Finals, there were two qualifiers, in Ludhiana and Chandigarh, with 32 teams participating in each round. From the 64 participating teams, the top 8 then made it to the finals.

The level of competition was quite impressive at the finals, with all 32 players who competed in the National Finals having represented their respective states, whilst 16 of them have also played at the national level.

'Representing India at the World Finals in Manila after winning the national finals in Chandigarh feels unreal. It's a proud moment not just for Team 911, but for everyone who has supported us through the journey. We've worked hard for this and now we carry the responsibility of representing our country on a global stage. We're excited, grateful, and ready to give it everything we have,' said Manvir Dhaliwal, one of the members of Team 911.

Red Bull Gives Wings to Chandigarh's Basketball Community

The court at Sector 17, which was the venue for the Red Bull Half Court National Final in Chandigarh, was designed as a vibrant tribute to street basketball culture and the spirit of the city. Inspired by the 'Own the Court' philosophy, the bold pop-art artwork blended Chandigarh's geometric identity with the fast-paced energy of the game, creating a visually striking and adrenaline-filled atmosphere on and off the court.

The court was created by Doodle Mapuls, founded by Amal Nair, Yash Shetty and Kirthi Pillai. The artwork design was led by Amal Nair, while on-ground execution and jersey design were led by Yash Shetty.

'The newly painted court by Red Bull in Chandigarh is honestly amazing for the basketball community. It's more than just a court -- it creates energy, inspiration, and a space where players can come together and grow the game. The basketball community will see it as a gift because investments like this show that the sport and culture are getting the recognition they deserve,' said Dhaliwal.

The recently launched India Basketball League had sent two coaches to the Red Bull Half Court 2026 National Finals with the intention of scouting talent. The two coaches, PS Santosh and Daniel Tihomir Vlahov, will select a few players from the competition, and they will receive an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience what it truly means to be a professional basketball athlete at the IBL -- training alongside some of India's top players, experiencing elite coaching and performance systems, and competing in high-intensity scrimmages inside a world-class basketball environment.

Co-incidentally, the winners of Red Bull Half Court 2024 - Kanwar Gurbaz Singh Sandhu, Nawaz Singh, Arvinder Kahlon and Karandeep Singh, are all training at the High-Performance Centre (HPC) in Bengaluru currently. The HPC is also home to the Indian national basketball team. (ANI)