Maba hope new pro men’s league will further boost game’s profile

PETALING JAYA: The Major Basketball League (MBL) and the Malaysia Basketball Association (Maba) have launched a new professional men’s league, which will start from Nov 17-Dec 18.

It will feature six teams – four local (Johor Southern Tigers, Kuala Lumpur Aseel, Negri Sembilan Matrix and Penang Sunrise Youngsters) and two foreign (Brunei’s Pegasus Sports and Singapore Adroi).

The season will span over three weeks until Dec 4, and the playoffs will take place during the second and third weeks of December.

RM400,000 prize money will be up for grabs, with half of it going to the champions.

“This is one of the important steps for the sport to further boost its profile,” said Maba secretary general Tan Kee Hian.

“I hope that this league, like the Malaysia Basketball League many years ago, can see some of its matches being played in other countries.”

The MBL have allowed up to three foreign players on the team roster, with the imports being one international and two Southeast Asian. However, only two foreign players are allowed to register for a game.

The MBL also plan to have the matches played throughout the country, starting off with the Maba Stadium in Kuala Lumpur before going to Johor’s Batu Pahat Basketball Stadium and ending at the Han Chiang Basketball Stadium in Penang.

The MBL will then return to the Maba Stadium for post-season matches.

Tickets will be priced at RM20 for the regular season and RM50 during playoffs.

There will be free admission for primary and secondary students from across the country.

“This league aims to develop the talents in the Southeast Asian region,” said MBL commissioner Frank Ch’ng.

“I believe it will be more successful than our previous tournament, the Malaysia D-League.

“And we have more to come, such as the women’s league, Under-21 and Under-19,” he added.