Otago basketball's top men are set to have another chance to represent their region this year.
Basketball Otago is entering both a men's and women's team in the Hoop Nation tournament, held in Tauranga over Labour weekend.
The tournament contains several divisions, with the top ones generally attracting a high calibre of players.
For the men it represents the second time an Otago team will be fielded at senior level this year, following a preseason game against the Southland Sharks.
With the absence of an NBL team in the region over the past three years, those opportunities to play beyond club level had become fewer.
Basketball Otago development manager Natalie Visger said it would act as another building block, following its fourth-placed finish at the under-23 national tournament.
Meanwhile for the women, it would be a good opportunity for the players in and around the Gold Rush, Otago's WBC team.
``We want to just continue to build on what we did with the men at [under] 23's and give them another opportunity to play at a high level.
``And then for the women it would be a good offseason for the Gold Rush players, or Gold Rush calibre players, looking to trial for the team next year.''
The make-up of the rosters were not known yet and could be influenced by university exams, which the tournament falls in the middle of.
The women would play in the top division, as they would have WBC players, or players close to that level.
However, it would depend on who was on the men's roster as to which division they play in.
Any team with players that have played in the NBL had to play in the top division.
Coaches were yet to be appointed for the teams.
The games at the tournament were shorter than normal and it was possible smaller squads would be taken to ensure all players got to play.
