AFTER a successful pre-season tournament, the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) will bounce off their 2012 programme with a league tournament, thanks to the kind patronage of beverage giant Banks DIH Limited. At a simple presentation ceremony held at the sponsor’s sports club Tuesday last, president of the GABA, David Carto, said the league will get under way next Saturday, with 14 teams, six more than the number which participated in the pre-season tournament.
Carto said the league will be used to seed the affiliated clubs and will be played on a round-robin basis leading up to the quarterfinals, from which point the top eight teams will continue competing on a knockout basis.
Ravens, Pacesetters, Knights, Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Eagles, Nets, Patriots, Guardian, Bounty Colts, Macakbees, Pepsi Sonics and two clubs from the West Demerara area, are the teams who will be battling for supremacy in the tournament.
All matches will be played on Saturday and Sundays, with additional games being played on Wednesdays and Fridays, and  will be contested at the Burnham Court in Middle Street, while the GABA executives will meet later and make a decision to possibly move the tournament indoors as the league progresses.
GABA is expected to execute a fund-raising event during the same period of the league which is expected to assist in offsetting expenditure on this tournament.
The top four clubs will receive cash and equipment as prizes in keeping with the development of the sport, while the GABA, will be looking at a scholarship programme for its young players, in which at least four youth players will vie for same.