Holders Notre Dame meet Neptune in first round

Title holders Denny Notre Dame will have a difficult encounter when they face Neptune in the opening weekend of the Sprite Senior Cup at the end of the month. The Dublin team are out to extend their historic run and win for the fourth time in succession.

The first-round draw was made in the National Arena in Dublin yesterday, and unlike the seeded competition of last year, the cup will be run on a open draw throughout.

Fifteen teams have entered, with Queen's Graduates the only non-Superleague side set to compete. They won't fancy the prospect of meeting Belfast rivals and current league champions Star of the Sea, while last year's runners-up Esat Telecom Demons travel to Dublin to meet Hibernian UCD/Marian.

Finals weekend in the National Arena at the end of January has been a sell-out for the past three years and, with live television coverage, has become one of the highlights of the season. Last year's finals culminated in both the men's and women's titles being decided by just one point. Notre Dame clinched the three-in-a-row by defeating Demons 62-61 while Tolka Rovers took their first ever women's cup by upsetting the fancied Snowcream Wildcats 59 to 58.

This year's competition begins on October 30th/31st with the first round for men. The quarter-finals take place on December 11th/12th, the same weekend that the women's competition begins. Tolka Rovers start their defence there with a trip to the University of Limerick while league champions Wildcats will play host to regional league side Glanmire.

In the men's junior National Cup, holders Killester are favourites to retain the title for a third consecutive year when the pool competition begins on November 21st/22nd.

Holders of the junior women's cup, Wildcats, are again seen as the team to beat and their tournament pool begins on November 13th/14th.

Meanwhile, basketball in schools around the country will benefit from a new £1 million sponsorship with the Sunny Delight 3x3 schools programme. Administered by the IBA, the programme will involve coaching, skills awards and the establishment of a tournament that will see schoolchildren aged 7 to 16 throughout the island compete in a tournament at the National Arena.

Over 5,000 schools are expected to take part in the new initiative that is designed to both encourage children to participate in sport and increase basketball participation levels in primary and secondary schools.

Cup Draws: Senior Men - First round (October 30th/31st): St Vincent's v Sligo Dairies; Denny Notre Dame v Neptune; Hibernian UCD Marian v Esat Telecom Demons; Waterford Crystal v Kerry Spring Water; Burger King Limerick v Dungannon; Star of the Sea v Queens Graduates; Tolka Rovers v Clare Jets; (Killester, bye) Senior Women - Quarter-finals (December 11th/12th): University of Limerick v Tolka Rovers (1); Meteors v Sligo Dairies (2); Crusaders v Killester (3); Avonmore Snowcream Wildcats v Glenmire (4); (Semi-finals - Winner 1 v Winner 2, Winner 3 v Winner 4).

Clive Cullen of Ballyroan NS wins possession from Anthony Jenkins of Notre Dame at yesterday's Cup draw.