Mainland basketball tourney set for return

 THE Mainland Basketball League (MBL) returns this year.

The semi-professional competition was shelved three years ago and its resurrection is good for the code in the Mamose and Highlands regions.

MBL founder and former deputy chairman of the Papua New Guinea Basketball Federation Timothy Lepa made the announcement during the PNG Souths Basketball Challenge held in Mt Hagen last month.

Mainland basketball is a competition that aims to build and encourage players from rural competitions to have a taste of a higher standard of basketball.

“Port Moresby and Lae-based players seem to dominate our national teams  but it is time basketball in the rest of the country was helped to come up to a higher standard so players can push for national honours. There is talent out there we just have to give them the chance to show it,” Lepa said.

“Even though the lack of height is a disadvantage here  regions like the Highlands have the talented players who excel in other areas of the game such as speed, accuracy and stamina,” Lepa added.

The challenge will be the biggest among the mainland centres with teams from Lae, Madang, Goroka, Mt Hagen, Southern Highlands and Enga expected to compete for prizes worth more than K50,000.

Six teams compete in a round robin format at different venues in the Mamose and Highlands regions.

Soft drink producer Coca-Cola Amatil Limited, under its Sprite brand, have been given the naming rights of the competition. 

Local and provincial MPs have also been invited to assist teams.

The draws will be released this month. Interested clubs can call Lepa (pictured) on 73671953 or email: [email protected]