Sahaij Sekhon: India's new point guard making waves in short career

Overcoming nerves and injury, Punjab player is carving his path with aggressive style of play.

Every debut in Indian basketball is a significant milestone and Sahaij Sekhon’s entry into the national team was no exception. The athlete’s first game, against Lebanon a few years ago, was a whirlwind of emotions and challenges. Sekhon filled the pivotal role of point guard, stepping in for Muin Bek Hafeez and later Joginder Sharma, who was sidelined due to illness.

Initial jitters led to a few turnovers and a brief stint on the bench. However, Sekhon seized a second chance when Muin Bek’s fouls created an opening. Returning to the court with newfound confidence, Sekhon made his presence felt with a decisive dunk.

In a exclusive interaction with Khel Now, Sekhon admits, “I’ve always been a slasher. I have more faith in my drive-ins than my shooting.”

Even as he works on improving his shooting skills, Sekhon’s aggressive style remains unchanged. His approach to the game has stayed consistent, even after an ACL injury. Despite advice to adopt a more cautious style, Sekhon stays true to his aggressive playing philosophy.

Sahaij Sekhon, who has many of his teammates in Punjab and Railways, expressed that while they share a fraternal bond off the court, they set aside their camaraderie during the game. He agreed with the view that the game is physical and often involves numerous fouls. He recalled a moment when Punjab were leading by 13-14 points, making him feel the game was slipping away, but Sahil’s critical three-pointers turned the tide.

Early days

The youngster’s journey in basketball began in Chandigarh under the mentorship of Amarjeet Singh. He learned an important lesson: to absorb knowledge from every player, particularly those playing in the same position. When he moved to Punjab, Sekhon noticed a change in the style of play, transitioning from Chandigarh’s fluid game to a more systematic approach in Punjab.

The journey continued in Railways, a professional setup where nuances of the game took a different shape. He and Princepal Singh couldn’t play in this year’s Senior Nationals because they didn’t finish the domicile period at Indian Railways to play from their side, but was at the baseline guiding his teammates on the court.

The dynamics on the court change with the lineup during international games. Sekhon has experienced both sides of the dynamics, “When Vishesh bhaiya ya Amriypal bhai are around, I don’t take pressure because I know they can cover for me. However, with juniors like Lokendra and Harsh, the responsibility and pressure amplify.

“Harsh and Lokendra play one of the best defence in the country, so I try to learn from them as well.” Despite the contrast, Sekhon relishes both scenarios — the seasoned grace of seniors and the exuberance and effort of juniors.

Sekhon had a chance to meet Satnam Singh Bhamara as well, who is close to his guru or, as he calls him, “bade bhai” Jagdeep Singh Bains. Infact, Sekhon’s first assisted shot was from Jagdeep Bains. The experience was more than a meet-and-greet; it was a moment of inspiration.

Recalling the National Games in Goa, Sekhon relives the nail-biting clash between Punjab and Tamil Nadu. “It’s a historical rivalry between Punjab and Tamil Nadu. We (Punjab) won last year in Udaipur before that they (Tamil Nadu) won in Chennai, so we wanted to keep the streak going.”

He acknowledges that Tamil Nadu’s staple, man-to-man defence caused a few turnovers taking the game down to the wire and they were lucky to win. “Billa’s block was exceptional, it’s hard to recover and then pull off a block like that.”

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