Last year’s defending champions, Ricoh Pumas and first runner up Tshwane Blade Runners, were suspended from the games which left crowd favorite North West based, Anglo Gold Ashanti Lions, to dominate this year’s pre-season games.
Both top runners are facing disciplinary action and have been suspended from participating in the competition.
The other teams which campaigned for glory at the 2014 pre-season games were the Discovery Eagles, Cape Town Saints, Westville Wings, Buffalo City Bears and Gelukspan Mangoose.
According to the wheelchair basketball director of operations, Charles Saunders, the aim the competition was to evaluate various development structures and coaches.
“It also gives young players more game-time and exposure before the start of the SuperSport Series,” said Saunders.
He added that in the past five years, the SuperSport Series Knockout competition has served as a warm up for qualifying franchise teams before the Wheelchair Basketball SuperSport Series.
The SuperSport Series is a South African Wheelchair Basketball League.