Some 75 team representatives attended last Friday's general meeting of the Eastern Province Basketball League in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

The meeting was called to unveil the EPBL's second conference - dubbed the 'Commissioner's Cup'.

The EPBL is a non-profit basketball organisation and most of those present were team coaches, managers and captains.

The main agenda was about tournament in-house rules, player ratings and - most important of all - the prizes.

EPBL commissioner Jun Sanchez announced that the champions for the second conference will each receive a distinctive trophy.

Enhancement of EPBL ground rules was clearly discussed via an open forum and Sanchez explained: “In view of the unfortunate incident that happened during the first conference of 2009, the EPBL technical committee had no choice but review the existing rules and regulations and come up with additional rules to cover every punishable offence that may happen in the future.”

Sanchez was referring to the championship match between Al Mojil and Saudi Ready Mix, where Al Mojil allowed an unlisted player to play as substitute to a listed player throughout the tournament.

As a consequence to Al Mojil’s action, the EPBL committee unanimously voted that they forfeit the special award of representing the EPBL in the charity games in Bahrain for the typhoon victims in the Philippines and instead awarded it to Saudi Ready Mix.

The invitation to the second conference drew an overwhelming response from 39 teams from various basketball teams, ball clubs and companies in the Eastern Province. Participating teams:

League B (open-rated teams): Al Mojil, ARCAN, BISDAK and Markaz Daggers. League C (open non-rated teams): Abdulkarim, Arabian Consulting Engineering Centre, Cue Master, Dammam Kings, DOBIM Tigers, Leytenos, Sharbatly Fruits and White House Optical. Inter-company Class A (bonafide non-rated teams): Al Khatlan, Al Tuwairqi, COSMA 1, Saudi Ready Mix, TASECO, Zamil Steel, McDonalds.
Inter-company Class B (bonafide non-rated teams): Al Binali, Al Dossary, Al Falak, Metal Services, Safari Company and Saipem Snamprogetti.
Inter-company Class C (bonafide non-rated teams): Al Bilad, Al Iman, COSMA 2, FEMCO, GCC and NESMA. Inter-company Class D (Consultants’ League): Saudi Fal, DAR Al Riyadh, PI Consult, Radicon Gulf, FEMCO Yuksel Consortium, Al Jazeera Ford and Saud Consult.