This time it is the 15^th Asian Clubs Basketball Championship to be hosted by Sharjah Club.

Four of the teams that participated in the AGCC tournament, including Sharjah will also be competiting in the Asian championship.

Mohammed Al Shehhi, manager of Sharjah Club and chief organiser of the tournament in an interview with Khaleej Times said the teams would include the new regional champions, Al Rayyan of Qatar, the dethroned champions Kuwait Club and Al Manama of Bahrain.

He said the event, to be held under the patronage of Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, brings ten top clubs on the continent to vie for the prestigious title. “The teams have been divided into five with the top two from each advancing to the semi-finals. There will also be classification matches with the teams finishing third, fourth and fifth in respetive groups taking on each other” he said.

The teams that have qualified for the weeklong championship are defending champions Al Wahda of Syria, Al Manama (Bahrain), Meadriatrix (Philippines), Young Cagers (India and hosts Sharjah Club in Group ÔA’. Al Rayyan, losing finalists last year in Kuala Lumpur, Petronas (Malayasia), Sagesse (Lebanon), Sangmu (South Korea) and Kuwait Club (Kuwait), are clubbed in Group ÔB’.

Nostratollah Jalarian of Iran has been appointed the tournament commissioner by the International Basketball Federation (Fiba). Besides the championship, he will supervise the team managers, technical and referees’ meetings on May 14.

List of players of six of the participating teams have so far been received by the organisers.

The Kuwaitis have in their ranks two foreigners, Geno Cahishle from the USA and Olumide Oydji from Nigeria. Sangmu of South Korea are fielding all-home based players with 25-year-old Lee Doo-Hoon at 197cm, the tallest player in the 15-team list.

Petronas of Malaysia will have in their ranks two Australians, Scott Douglas McGregor, Brian Joseph Lester and one American, Dusty Mike.

India’s Young Cagers will also be fielding an all-India side with Sozhasingarayer Robinson, at 206cm, the tallest player in the team.The other two tallest players in the team are Vineeth Revi Mathew and Rajanna Sanay Raj, both at 204cm each.

Segasse of Lebanon have in their ranks four American players, Willie Ricardo Burton, Colrey Eugane Louis, Eric Derill Chafield, Brian Anthony Beshara and one South African, Ilias Zouros.

Four matches will be played daily, starting at 3pm with the last match of the day scheduled at 9pm.

Schedule of matches: May 15: 3pm Kuwait Club (Kuwait) v Sangmu (South Korea); 5pm Sharjah Club (UAE) v Young Cagers (India); 7pm Al Wahda (Syria) v Meadriatrix (Philippines); 9pm Al Rayyan (Qatar) v Sagesse (Lebanon).

May 16: 3pm Kuwait Club v Petronas (Malaysia); 5pm Sharjah Club v Al Manama (Bahrain); 7pm Young Cagers v Meadriatrix; 9pm Sagesse v Sangmu.

May 17: 3pm Al Rayyan v Sangmu; (5pm) Al Wahda v Young Cagers; 7pm Meadriatrix v Al Manama; 9pm Sagesse v Petronas.

May 18: 3pm Sharjah Club v Meadriatrix; 5pm Al Manama v Al Wahda; 7pm Petronas v Al Rayyan; 9pm Kuwait Club v Sagesse.

May 19:  3pm Petronas v Sangmu; 5pm Young Cagers v Al Manama; 7pm Sharjah Club v Al Wahda; 9pm Al Rayyan v Kuwait Club.