After just a single fixture was played in week one, the SBL Premier Division is due to really get going this weekend with four of the seven teams in action across Saturday and Sunday.
Archway Peterborough will face Ormeau in a historic first SBL Premier Division fixture for the club.
Having gained a spot in the top tier after going unbeaten last season Archway will hope to put any early-season nerves to one side and make life difficult for Ormeau.
They take a strong selection of former Chinese junior team player Jiawang Song and the highest ranked British player in the league Chris Doran. Callum Evans, the current number one Welsh senior, makes up the trio.
Ormeau get their third Premier Division season underway with aspirations of improving on their best placed finish of third. Head coach Keith Knox said: “We are very excited about the new season, as we have a couple of injuries in our squad from last year we have signed a new Ormeau number one, Dorian Nicolle, who has played in Pro B in France.”
Frenchman Nicolle is unavailable for selection so Ormeau will field Owen Cathcart, Lucas Moland and Alexis Lebrun.
You can watch all the action from 2pm on Saturday here.
BATTS have a busy weekend ahead as they travel to North Ayrshire on Saturday before flying to Ormeau for a fixture on Sunday. The London club welcomed Josh Bennett and Mike O’Driscoll to their premier squad over the summer.
20-year-old Bennett is an exciting prospect currently ranked 14 in England. The University of Nottingham student will make his debut in Scotland on Saturday. He will be joined by brother Josh and Paul Lavergne, a Paris based player ranked 85 in France.
A North Ayrshire team made up of Scottish internationals Colin Dalgleish and Chris Main and Irish international Zak Wilson will be hoping to make a mark after a sixth place finish last season.
Club Secretary Jordan McGinlay said: “We are looking forward to another season ahead and our fourth season in the top flight of the British League. With so many teams bringing in some top international players, the league looks as strong as ever and we can’t wait to get started.”
Click here to watch the fixture from 2pm on Saturday.
BATTS then make the short journey across the Irish sea to face Ormeau in Belfast on Sunday. Neil Brierley, General Secretary of BATTS, paid tribute to the opposition for the weekend: “The logistics for these 2 matches have been quite challenging.
“As always we’ve had significant co-operation from the home teams, which is one of the best features of this division.”
With both teams in action twice in two days home advantage could be key for Ormeau. The Belfast crowd will be cheering on the same faces on both Saturday and Sunday, home-grown Owen Cathcart and French stars Lucas Moland and Alexis Lebrun.
Action gets underway at 12pm on Sunday and can be watched here.
Ormesby, who lost to Urban in week one, had been due to play Fusion on Saturday but the fixture has been postponed and is likely to be rearranged for a weekend in December.
Fixtures
Saturday 26th
North Ayrshire v BATTS – 14:00
Ormeau v Archway Peterborough -14:00
Sunday 27th
Ormeau v BATTS – 12:00