ABL set to return after 3-year hiatus

MANILA, Philippines – After a three-year lull, the Asean Basketball League (ABL) is finally set for its much-awaited return with its 11th season through the Invitational Tournament Series 2023.

As the sporting world gets back to its feet, the league is forging ahead with the Invitational Tournament that will feature games across the region starting off on Jan. 2, 2023.

The league will then take a break in February to respect the International Window for men’s basketball before the playoffs and the finals take place in early March.

Some of the best squads around the region are expected to take the center stage and go for a mad dash for glory in the three-month Southeast Asian basketball spectacle.

Even as the leagues around the region have grown along with the progression of the ABL over the years since its foundation in 2009, the Invitational remains consistent to the league’s commitment to maintain a strong presence as a developmental platform for all the teams involved.

ABL Chief Operating Officer Kuhan Foo is pleased with the return of the first-ever regional basketball league in Asia, noting that the move is a huge step forward in sustaining the growth of the sport in the region over the past 10 years.

“We’re glad to announce that the Asean Basketball League is finally coming back for its 11th season with the ABL Invitational Tournament Series 2023. After the Covid-19 pandemic put everything to a halt, the return of the ABL is a huge step towards the right direction as we hope to give our fans the sense of normalcy while we continue to recover from the after-effects of the pandemic,” said Foo.

“We are excited to welcome our teams, our players and our fans back in our bid to further foster the growth of basketball across the region,” he added, stressing the role of the league to the vast improvements of countries like Singapore and Vietnam which finally won historic medals in the Southeast Asian Games with the former winning in 2013 and 2015 while the latter bagging one in 2019.