NEW DELHI, JULY 6: India will host the inaugural Commonwealth Basketball Championship in July 2010, International Basketball Federation (FIBA) president Bob Elphinston announced at a function here on Saturday.

While the venue of the competition will be decided by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) later, it is likely to be New Delhi. Basketball may not be one of the disciplines at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, but the championship, scheduled to take place just months before the quadrennial extravaganza, is expected to serve as a test event. “We want India to host the event because, unfortunately, basketball is not part of the 2010 CWG Delhi is going to host,” said Elphinston on his maiden visit to the country.

He said it would be a quality competition, with FIBA ensuring a strong field.

West Stars outplayed East 74-53 to win an All-Star game that marked the conclusion of the three-day Basketball Without Borders camp here on Sunday. The best 24 players from the camp participated in the match. West's Lim Jong Ill was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the match. India's Vishesh Bhriguvanshi was declared the Most Valuable Player.