IIT Madras launches Phiball, a three-team basketball variant

Scoring is harder because there is no backboard. Layups are not possible; players must aim straight for the rim, Sawant noted. Possessions are governed by a 24-second shot clock, but individual holds are limited to three dribbles. "You can only do three dribbles. So you can't really ball handle much, you have to pass as soon as you can," he added.

Ayush, a 19-year-old student from VIT Chennai, said the format was competitive and fast-paced compared to normal basketball. "Three teams were playing simultaneously so a little bit of confusion was there, but apart from all that the game was very interesting," he said.

The sport's name comes from the Golden Ratio, or Phi (approx 1.618), mirrored in a 1.6-metre restricted perimeter zone designed to cushion collisions.

When rain interrupted the inaugural outdoor matches, the tournament moved indoors. Relocating required little more than a rope, chalk, yellow tape, plastic cones and three portable backboard-less rims. This minimalism addresses a fundamental barrier in grassroots Indian athletics. Synthetic and concrete courts are cost-prohibitive for many rural and government schools. Gummadi designed Phiball to be played on dirt, clay or grass. Setup costs total under Rs 30,000.

Balaji, vice-captain of A M Jain College team and the winning team of the inaugural match, who has played basketball for six years, said there were "penny drop" moments as they adapted. "One, I realised our team was even more tight-knit than I gave credit for. Despite uncertainties, we could get into flow pretty quick. Two, we need to practice netting the ball more, we simply couldn't bank shots during penalty throws," he told PTI.