NBL launch set for next Wednesday

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

THE MUCH-anticipated launch of the National Basketball League (NBL)/Flow competition is now set for next Wednesday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston at 10 a.m.

The NBL, which was scheduled to begin in August, has been postponed on a number of occasions by the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA). Ajani Williams, president of JaBA told The Gleaner in an interview last week that everything is now in place for the start of the league.

"The sponsors have agreed to that and everybody is on board with that now and we want to get the show on the road because we don't want to wait until March or any other time," said Williams.

He added that the competition, which will run for four months, has also attracted one new sponsor which will bring the number of contributing firms to three.

"This also means that more money will be going to the teams and I think we will be doubling their start-up funds and also their prize money will go up 100 per cent," said Williams.

Williams does not believe the delay will affect the turnout for games because everybody has been waiting for the start.

"I think that everybody is a bit anxious and the players are a bit rusty, but some teams have been practising and they have been picking up the pace and I just think that everybody just wants to play basketball."

Meanwhile, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, minister of youth, sports and culture, will be the guest speaker at this year's launch. Among the invited guests are Professor Errol Morrison, president of the University of Technology (UTech) and Anthony Davis, director of sports at UTech.