KUALA LUMPUR: The Major Basketball League (MBL) Malaysia 2024/25 season tips off this Friday at SJKC Chong Hwa 2 in Kluang, Johor, with five men's teams competing for a RM200,000 championship prize.
The season opener pits defending champions NS Matrix Deers against the Penang Sunrise Youngsters, while host team, Johor Southern Tigers take on league newcomers Putrajaya ParkCity Heat.
The fifth team, Sarawak Cola Warriors, also making their league debut, begin their campaign on Saturday.
This season's expanded format features both men's and women's divisions. The men's division offers lucrative prizes of RM200,000 for the champions and RM100,000 for the runners-up, while the women's division champions and runners-up will receive RM35,000 and RM15,000 respectively.
The men's regular season begins in Kluang (Nov 22-24) before moving to Port Dickson (Nov 29-Dec 1), George Town (Dec 6-8), and Kuala Langat (Dec 20-22). The season culminates at Kuala Lumpur's MABA Stadium (Dec 26-29), with the top four teams advancing to January's playoffs.
In the women's division, four teams will battle for supremacy: NS Matrix Deers, Johor Southern Tigers, Selangor EST Jersey, and MKYC Dragons. Their regular season comprises two stops - Jenjarom (Dec 13-15) and Kuala Langat (Dec 20-22). The semifinals are scheduled for Dec 25, followed by a best-of-three finals series from Dec 27-29 at the MABA Stadium.
MBL Commissioner Frank Ch'ng announced that teams can recruit up to three foreign players, with two allowed on court simultaneously, a move designed to elevate competition standards and foster local talent development.