The City is to host the 52nd All India Basket Ball Tournament from May 26.

It will be stars vying for the Natchimuthu Gounder Cup for men and the 16th CRI Pumps Trophy for women, Coimbatore District Ball Association (CBDA) vice-president CN Ashok told mediapersons here today.

Last year’s runner-up Income Tax Chennai, Indian Air Force Delhi, Sports Authority of Gujarat, CRPF, IOB Chennai, Indian Railway Delhi, Indian Navy Lonavala and CBDS will play in the men’s category.

Holders ONGC team is attending a coaching camp and so will not be participating in the tournament.

Champions South Central Railway, Secunderabad, Southern Railway Chennai, Eastern Railway Kolkatta, Arise Steel Chennai, KSEB Thiruvananthapuram, Chattisgarh State Bilaspur, North Frontier Railway Guwahati and CBDA will be the eight teams in women’s section, Ashok said.

The six-day tourney will be played on league basis, with the finals slated for May 31.

The winner in the men’s group will get Rs 1 lakh in cash and the cup and the runners-up Rs 50,000 in cash and the Dr N Mahalingam trophy. The winning women’s team will get Rs 50,000 and the CRI Pumps trophy and the runners-up Rs 25,000 and a trophy, Ashok said.