New women's pro basketball team face a baptism of fire in the WBBL

They do not have a name yet and so far no signings have been released but the Capital's new women's professional basketball team will face a daunting start to their first season in the WBBL.

Bart Sengers will lead the new team who have yet to decide on a name

So far known only as “BasketballScotland”, the new team will travel to play Leicester Riders on Saturday October 8 in their first outing in the WBBL championship, the developing women’s counterpart of the longer established British Basketball League (BBL).

The following Saturday, October 15, they are away again to play Manchester Mystics in the first round of the Cup and a week later they travel to Nottingham to play champions Notts Wildcats in the league at 6pm on the Saturday.

They will then have to travel home immediately with a likely late return and little rest time before their first home game at their new venue at Oriam, Heriot-Watt University campus the next day. They are due to host WBBL Trophy holders Sheffield Hatters at 1pm on Sunday October 23.

Balancing up their away start, the new side will have four home games in a row in April.

The major positive so far is that the coach will be Bart Sengers, the highly experienced Dutchman who steered Edinburgh University women to a clean sweep of Scottish club honours last season.

Sengers will continue to coach EU in the British Universities Northern Premier Division.