Bermuda?s top basketball players will be back on court tomorrow evening at Saltus Grammar School Gym as the 2004 Bermuda Basketball Association (BBA) Winter League season gets underway. Tip-off time is at 5.15 p.m.

Back to defend their title will be Regulators who walked away with the league championship last season.

The reigning champions, however, will have their work cut out for them, having lost the services of key players Michael Smith and Charjuan Knights who moved over to rivals Cellular One Brat Pack during the off-season.

The Brat Pack ? heavily favoured to be in the reckoning for top honours during this campaign ? have also been bolstered by the arrival of Jonathan Minors, who sat out last season.

MR Chicken Gamecocks, the Summer League champions (11-1), are also expected to mount a serious bid for league supremacy.

The Winter League is made up of a Premier and Adult Recreational Division.

Presently, there are seven teams competing in the Premier and ten among the Adult Recreational ranks.

In tomorrow evening?s curtain raiser, MR Chicken Gamecocks meet Older and Fatter at 5.15 p.m. followed by Cellular One Brat Packs against Chargers at 6.30.

Regulators and Cane Toads will close out the night?s events when they take to the court at 7.45 p.m.