KARACHI: Seven top teams of the country will compete in the National Departmental Basketball Championship which commences at the Arambagh floodlit courts here on Monday with an exhibition match.

However, the regular matches of the event will start the following day. According to the draws, three matches are scheduled for Tuesday. Holders Army take on Navy in the first match at 6:00pm. Wapda are pitted against Railways in the second clash at 7:15pm while PAF face POF Wah in the day’s last match at 8:15pm.

The details of the championship were announced by the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBF) associate secretary and former international Abdul Nasir and the Karachi Basketball Association (KBA) president Ghulam Mohammad during a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday.

The officials informed that the Army and Navy teams have reached the city. The soldiers underwent two separate training sessions, one in the morning and the other in the evening at the venue on Saturday. The sailors also had their workouts in the evening.

Other outstation teams were expected to arrive here by Saturday night or Sunday.

The event is being organised by the KBA in collaboration with the Sindh Basketball Association (SBA) and the PBF.

According to the officials, the national departmental championship is taking place at the same venue after almost a decade.

The venue, which is almost half a century old, is bustling with festivity after a long time. The court and its surroundings have been refurbished.

Meanwhile, the PBF referees board secretary Yaqoob Qadri chaired a meeting of referees on Saturday and informed them about rules and regulations.

The event concludes on Dec 9.

The teams have been drawn into two pools.

Pools:

Pool ‘A’: Army, Navy, Police.

Pool ‘B’: PAF, Wapda, POF Wah, Railways.

Tuesday’s fixtures:

Army v Navy (6:00pm), Wapda vs Railways (7:15pm), PAF vs POF Wah (8:30pm).

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2017