The All India Basket Ball Tournament for Nachimuthu Gounder Cup for men is back, after a gap of eight years. The matches will begin on May 27 in Coimbatore.

Eight leading teams – ONGC-Dehradun, Kerala State Electricity Board, ICF, Chennai, RCF, Kapurthala, Income Tax Chennai, North Frontier Railway, Guwahati, Kerala Police, and Coimbatore District Basketball Association (CDBA) are vying for the honours, CDBA Vice President, R. Palanisamy, told reporters today.

Due to unavoidable circumstances, the winners and runners-up of the previous edition, IOB, Chennai and Customs and Central Excise, Cochin, are not participating in the tournament, he said.

The 15th CRI Pumps All India Basketball Tournament for Women will also be held simultaneously, in which the reigning champions Chattisgarh State team, Bilaspur, and runners-up KSEB, Kerala; Southern Railway, Chennai; SC Railway, Secunderabad; North Frontier Railway Guwahati; SEC Railway, Bilaspur; Central Railway, Mumbai; and CBDA will clash for the title.

There will be a total 26 matches, which will be played on league basis, with the finals scheduled on June 1, C.N. Ashok, vice president, CDBA, said.

In addition to the rolling trophy, the winners in the men section will get Rs.1 lakh in cash. The runners-up will take home Rs.50,000 and Dr. N. Mahalingam trophy. The winners in the women’s category will get the CRI Pumps Trophy and Rs.50,000, the runners-up, Rs.25,000 and a trophy.