KATHMANDU: The Nepal Basketball Association (NeBA) on Tuesday selected 18 players for the second stage of preparation for the 11th South Asian Games to be held in Dhaka from January 29 to February 9 next year. A total of 35 players had participated in the preliminary preparation. Rabindra Maharjan, Bipendra Maharjan, Binod Maharjan, Sadish Pradhan, Rajeev Joshi, Yuktaram Bhakta Mathema, Bikram Joshi, Bijaya Khatri, Sanjaya Byanjankar, Manoj Sherchan, Rajeev Shakya, Chetan Gurung, Amir Ghale, Binod Shrestha, Sushil Gurung, Karma Gurung, Wisdom Pandey and Top Bahadur Khatri have been selected for the second phase of selection. Ajaya Manandhar has been named the reserve player. After the second stage of preparation, NeBA will reduce the number to the final 12 for the regional meet.