NBA, Manama Club launch League

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Manama Club (AMSC) yesterday announced a new partnership to create the Junior NBA A1 Manama League, a club-based basketball league for boys ages 12- 14.

This is the first league of its kind in the Middle East and will be held in Bahrain and feature 30 local clubs who will represent one of the 30 NBA teams and will receive corresponding NBA team branded T-shirts for their games.

The league’s global youth basketball participation program, teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game at the grassroots level involving players, coaches and parents and during the 2015-16 season, will reach more than 6.5 million youth in 33 countries.

“As part of our commitment to basketball development in the Middle East, we are excited to partner with Manama Sports Club,” said NBA EMEA Vice President, Basketball Business Operations Jesus Bueno.

The league will be similar to the NBA and divided into two conferences and six divisions with the season from March to June, with the top eight teams from each conference qualifying playoffs in June with the top two teams from each conference meet in the league championship later that month to determine the first champion.