While EuroBasket may be dominating the attention of basketball fans everywhere these days, preparations for the start of the 5th Nicosia Winter Championship are in full swing! As already announced, 20 teams will participate in this year’s league. In terms of the tournament’s official procedures, there will be no groundbreaking changes, as the format will be identical to last year’s (2 Regions in Phase A, 3 Divisions, and playoffs in Phase B).
However, many things have changed regarding the TEAMS that will participate, as some new teams have emerged, some have changed their name, some have merged with others, and some have withdrawn, etc. Let’s take a closer look:
Which teams will NOT participate?
Three teams from last season will not be continuing their participation in the Winter Championship, as they no longer exist. These are CyprusBasket, Crepaland, and Super Dads, three teams with a very successful run in previous years that have certainly left their mark. Of course, players who competed for these teams last year are free to join another team this season, which we’ve learned has already happened for many of them.
Who changed their name?
The Olympos Wolves are the team that will be introducing themselves with a completely new name this year. They will now be called the Splash Ballers by Splash Activities. We don’t yet know how many, if any, roster changes the team will make (we’ll find out by the 14th of the month, which is the deadline), but it’s certain that last year’s “Wolves” have changed their name, logo, and likely their colors as well.
Who merged with others?
A brand-new team, comprised of two historic amateur basketball teams, has emerged this year. It is none other than First Shoot APΟPAL. The team, led by Christos Pitziolis and Giorgos Panagiotou, is the result of a basketball collaboration between First Shoot Basket and the Pallouriotissa Alumni, and we’ll be waiting with great interest to see the result on the court next month.
Which are the new teams?
We will have the pleasure of seeing three teams participate for the first time in the Winter Championship in Nicosia’s arenas starting this October. They are the “Makedones,” the “Old Timers,” and the “Basket Bros.”
- The “Makedones” made an appearance in the last Nicosia Summer Amateur Championship, with a slightly different name (Makedones-APOEL), while many of their players competed in previous years for EHTA Engomi under the guidance of coach Dimitris Makris, who will be in charge of the team again this year.
- The “Old Timers” were introduced to the basketball community during the recent Nicosia Summer Amateur Championship, where they competed in Division C and left a very positive impression. Now, they will get their first taste of the big (in terms of duration) Winter Championship.
- Finally, the “Basket Bros” are a completely newly formed team that is only a few months old. Their leader is Giannis Ch”Filippou (a former player for KEP-Dikefalos Geriou and the Moufflons, and the general coordinator of the Winter Championship Referees’ team), and the team is mainly composed of players who will be seen for the first time in the Winter Championship.
Apart from these, the other 15 teams remain as they were last season, though of course with some additions and subtractions to their rosters, as is customary this time of year. We will have a much more complete picture of all the teams around the middle of the month, when they submit their detailed rosters, and we will return with a new analysis and predictions for their potential performance in the Championship.
