The Port Moresby Basketball Association (PMBA) is thrilled to announce the kickoff of its highly anticipated Pre-Season Power-Up event, starting on 20th February at the Taurama Aquatic Indoor Complex (TAIC).
The three-week extravaganza promises to be a riveting showcase of basketball prowess and competitive fervour.
This season, PMBA is welcoming new clubs Equalizers from Bomana and Lekwaharu from Tubuserea Association, to the ranks of the seasoned veterans in Ultimax, Saints, Chariots, and Exodus, forming a formidable league of six clubs.
Players, fans, and supporters are gearing up to witness the clash of titans, where alliances will form, rivalries will ignite, and strategies will be put to the test in the quest for pre-season supremacy.
In a bid to further bolster basketball development, PMBA aims to introduce a junior school competition around March, signalling a proactive approach towards nurturing young talent and fostering community engagement.
PMBA's General Manager for Basketball Operations, Slieve Mohu, shared some insights about the association. PMBA started in 2015 and resumed operations in 2022 after ceasing operations in 2019 due to COVID-19. When they started in 2022, they had a sponsor from Credit Corporations who gave them a three-year contract of K20,000. Nambawan Trophy Haus also donated trophies for their finals from 2022 till last year.
This year, PMBA will be running 6 team competitions, with four existing clubs from 2023, Exodus, Chariots, Saints, and Ultimax, and two new clubs, Equalizers from Bomana and Lekwaharu from Tubusereia, as new inclusions to the PMBA 2024 Season.
The first preseason games will start on 20th February with four teams playing, and the second game will be on 22nd February, both starting at 6 pm at the TAIC. The admission fee is still being worked on, but the games will be free to watch.
When asked about the expectations for the two new teams, Lekwaharu and Equalizers, Mohu said that they are new teams, and he hasn't seen their talent yet, but he hopes they can match the existing clubs.
Mohu also shared that PMBA is still pending decisions about introducing school competitions, which they might run in April. He also stated that all existing clubs are very strong teams, and it's unpredictable who to choose for the 2024 season.