Tournament.

A whopping 24 teams, including for the first time juniors, will take part in the week-long event, sponsored by Commercial Risk and the Bermuda Basketball Association.

The tournament tipped off last night with six games, with six more scheduled for Monday and four on Tuesday. Games are being played at CedarBridge Academy, Mount Saint Agnes and Saltus, with Friday's finals at Bermuda College.

Whitney won the senior boys title a year ago and Berkeley the senior girls.

But the addition of junior teams, who will play six-minute quarters as opposed to the usual eight, is a brand new thing. It is also, BBA president Allan Walker said, and indication of the growth of the sport in Bermuda. "It's really starting to spread,'' he said.

Six junior boys teams and four junior girls teams will take part, joining the seven senior boys and girls squads.

CedarBridge, in its first year, has been divided up into three teams -- Red, Blue and Gold -- and will compete with teams from Warwick Academy, Berkeley, Spice Valley, MSA and Saltus.