The fixtures for the 2011/12 British Basketball League season have been announced today.
The season gets underway two weeks later than last season with the early exchanges once again dominated by the group stages of the Trophy competition. The Trophy splits the BBL teams into four regional groups (see below) with the teams playing each other both home and away and with the winner of each group progressing to the semi-final round.
However, mixed in with the early season Trophy games are some key BBL Championship clashes with last season’s Championship runners-up, the Newcastle Eagles, getting things underway with a visit from the Guildford Heat on Friday 14th October.
The BBL Cup gets tips off in late October with the first round involving eight BBL Teams. The pick of the 1st round games will see Paul James play host to his former club, as the Worcester Wolves take on the Guildford Heat (draw below). The top four teams from last season’s BBL Championship table receive a bye to the quarter final round which will be played in mid November. Two legged semi finals will follow before the BBL Cup Final which will be held on Sunday 15th January 2012 at National Iindoor Arena, Birmingham.
The regular Championship season draws to a close on Sunday 22nd April 2012 with the top eight teams from the BBL Championship table qualifying for the end of season Playoffs. Two legged quarter and semi-final rounds lead to a single leg Playoff Final which will be held on Saturday 12th May 2012 at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham.
BBL Trophy Groups:
North 1 – Glasgow Rocks, Newcastle Eagles & Durham Wildcats
North 2 – Sheffield Sharks, Mersey Tigers & Cheshire Jets
South 1 – Leicester Riders, Milton Keynes Lions & Essex Pirates
South 2 – Guildford Heat, Worcester Wolves & Plymouth Raiders
BBL Cup Draw:
1st Round
Durham Wildcats v Plymouth Raiders
Glasgow Rocks v Essex Pirates
Worcester Wolves v Guildford Heat
Leicester Riders v Milton Keynes Lions
Quarter Finals
Mersey Tigers v Wolves or Heat
Newcastle Eagles v Rocks or Pirates
Sheffield Sharks v Wildcats or Raiders
Cheshire Jets v Riders or Lions.
For the complete fixture list, head to: www.bbl.org.uk
