Mumbai, Aug. 31 -- In the evenings in 1980s Mumbai, Savio Club in Matunga pulsed with life. Juniors would sit cross-legged by the sidelines, watching in awe as their seniors engaged in a basketball match. At Mastan YMCA, games often carried on until the lights gave out. Nagpada Neighbourhood House was the hub for international talent, Indian Gymkhana carried the gravitas of tradition, Good Counsel bridged the school-club divide, and YMCA centres knitted the city into a vibrant basketball community. Now, in 2025, those courts are shadows of their past. Matches are shorter and the traditional five-on-five format is increasingly being replaced by three-on-three contests. It is this change that troubles veteran coach Nizar Ahmed, who has spent 35 years on Mumbai's courts. "Nobody is telling the kids the actual game is five-on-five," Ahmed said to HT. "They get minimal time, go home without real growth, and within a year, most of them disappear." Parents ask Ahmed where their child can get real training. Two decades ago, he could rattle off venues without hesitation. Now he can only shrug. The paradox is cruel: Mumbai has over 200 academies, yet few offer structure, long-term planning or qualified coaching. "Most focus on numbers, not quality," he said. "Coaches change every year and no one is willing to invest time and money for longer games." The city's five-a-side calendar has withered but the flashy three-on-three tournaments have increased. "They finish in a day or two, creating hype but little value. Without proper five-on-five leagues, players will never build teamwork, endurance or game sense," Ahmed said, adding that it has led to the state team's downfall in recent years. "When I played for Kerala, we saw Maharashtra in our pool during Nationals, we were wary. They were the strongest team. Now, everyone is happy to see Maharashtra in their pool." The likes of the Railways, Customs, banks and many more teams offered jobs under the sports quota. Playing the game could mean securing a stable career. Today, recruitment is rare, and even when available, the positions are minor. Interestingly, Mumbai has four district bodies in basketball: South East, South West, Central and North, but they have gone largely dormant and do little to support or expand the game. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Basketball Association (MSBA) had been engaged paralysed by politics. But there is hope for improvement after the governing body's elections in July. "We have three key plans," said new general secretary Govind Krishnan Muthukumar. The association plans to conduct professional leagues throughout the year. Youth leagues in the U-13, U-16, and U-21 categories have begun in Pune, with similar models expected to start in Mumbai and Nagpur. A uniform coaches' program is also set to be introduced. The initiative will be designed and led by Arnika Gujar, the only FIBA-certified instructor in India, while the association will provide support, and importantly, infrastructure. Semi-indoor courts are planned across Maharashtra, one in each of the 36 districts. The city has never lacked talent. It has produced Abbas Moontasir, the late Indian captain and Maharashtra's only Arjuna awardee in basketball, International players, Manoj Tripathi and Hanif Patel, and women's stalwarts such as Anantha Laxmi and Priscilla D'Souza, who captained India. What Mumbai has lacked is the machinery to keep producing them....