Play for Deprived Children Nepal announced the Women’s National Basketball League as defending champions Golden Gate International Club open their title defence with a rematch against last year’s runners-up Tribhuvan Army Club in the inaugural men’s game on Saturday.

PDCN had already announced the men’s league which was postponed for seven days due to a hectic schedule following hoopsters’ and officials’ involvement in the recently-concluded eighth National Games basketball events in Dang. In another opening day match, Nepal Police Club will play away to Time International Club.

PDCN, a non-government organisation, had only organised the men’s league last year and this year the women’s league will see the participation five clubs including three departmental teams—Police, Army, Nepal Armed Police Force Club—and ISO Kite. The women’s league begins from May 29 and will conclude on June 22.

While the men’s event will be played in home and away format until the double league concludes, the women’s discipline will be played at a neutral venue with the playoffs and final to be held at the National Sports Council covered hall which is currently undergoing maintenance.  “We are planning to host the women’s league matches at the St Xavier’s School courts in Jawalakhel but the venue could be changed as well. We are still a month away from the women’s league and have time to make our final decision,” said Arun Karki, the PDCN president.

The tournament is the longest and biggest basketball event of the country with the men’s event alone running for 55 days with 66 matches in total, including nine playoffs and a final. In both the categories, top four teams will make it to the playoffs. The first and second placed team will meet in the Qualifier for a place in the final with the losing side waiting to meet the winners of the Eliminator match between third and fourth placed teams. The men’s playoffs will have best of three matches.

The winners and runners-up in both the categories will get Rs 200,000 and Rs 100,000 respectively. The most valuable players of the tournament will get a return ticket to Europe from Turkish Airlines.

The tournament will also get an All Star game that will include the best players of the tournament and a celebrity match during the playoffs. Nepal Basketball Association General Secretary Narendra Thapa lauded the effort from a private sector. “This is the best league of Nepali basketball,” said Thapa on Friday.

“We were in confusion over the National Games because it was continuously postponed but the organisers have done a tremendous work in holding the tournament with a very short but sharp preparations. This tournament will help bring more basketball players in the country and feed to the national team,” said Thapa.

National basketball team skipper Sadhish Pradhan, who previously represented Army and will now play for Times, expected a tough competition. “The tournament was really wonderful when it was organised last year and we expect to see even more competition this season,” said Pradhan. ANK Kirtipur Basketball Club, BMC South Siders Basketball Club, The Royal Basketball Club, Budhanilkantha Municipality Basketball Club are four other teams in the men’s league.