Fans are to get their first taste of Central ABL action this weekend with 11 teams participating in the Central ABL Pre-season tournament.

This year’s tournament is being held at the Wayville Sports Centre on March 16 and 17, with women’s games commencing at 11:30am on Saturday and the men starting at 12:45pm.

The tournament, run annually by Basketball SA, is a precursor to the Central ABL season which starts three weeks later on April 6.

Highlights of the men’s draw include matchups on Sunday morning between Norwood and Southern, and Sturt and West Adelaide. The 2013 Tigers team features a revamped lineup under new head coach and 2012 premiership winner Rashad Tucker, while last year’s other Grand Finalists Sturt will have their depth tested by the loss of Darren Ng to Woodville, Tom Daly to Mount Gambier and Tim Klaosen to football.

In the women’s draw, former Norwood premiership winner and rookie Woodville coach Christian Bell will have a tough Sunday matchup against his former club, the 2012 premiers, and new Southern coach Leigh Scott will start the tournament on Saturday with a game on the show court against Sturt, a team which will suit at least two Bowley.

The men’s tournament involves 6 teams (Eastern, Norwood, Southern, Sturt, West Adelaide and Woodville). Each team will play three other teams in the minor rounds, and the top two ranked teams will play in the grand final.

The women’s tournament includes 5 teams (Eastern, Norwood, Southern, Sturt and Woodville), with each team playing the other 4 teams and no finals.

Games consist of four 8 minute quarters played under FIBA timing conditions.

Entry is free and all spectators are welcome.

A full schedule is available at http://www.centralabl.com.au.

Please contact the Competitions Manager, Paul Arnott on (08) 8345 8606 or parnott@basketballsa.com.au for any media enquiries.