Basketball SA is pleased to announce the release of the schedule for the 2009 Central Australian Basketball League.

The Central ABL, which is run at 10 venues across metropolitan Adelaide, includes rivalry rounds on May 9 and July 18 in which traditional foes North and Norwood, Sturt and Forestville, Eastern and Centrals, West and Woodville, and South and Southern will play local derbies.

Late last year, Basketball SA, in conjunction with the participating clubs, took the decision to withdraw from the Australian Club Championships. The ACC, formerly known as the ABA , involved the winning teams in each participating conference competing in a national series of finals. The decision to withdraw contributed to the Basketball Australia ACC Commission re-evaluating the ACC concept. As a result, the ACC will not be run in 2009 but BA will investigate possibilities for it to return in 2010.

SA’s withdrawal has provided an opportunity for the local competition, which will still be known as the Central ABL in 2009, to finish at a later date than previous years, reducing the hectic start which saw three early double headers in 2008.

The 2009 season starts on March 14 and 15 with men’s and women’s games at Starplex, Adelaide Hills, Mars, Marion and Hillcrest, and culminates in grand finals at the Distinctive Homes Dome on September 5. Click on the "Fixtures/Results/Ladders" menu on the left for the full schedule.