BBL Cup is the first piece of silverware up for grabs

The first piece of silverware on offer during the forthcoming 2013-14 British Basketball League season, will again be the BBL Cup and eight teams have been pitched into the first round of action.

With all 12 BBL clubs scheduled to compete in the competition, four have been handed a bye into the Quarter-Final Round, including reigning champions Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders.

They progress into the last eight of the competition along with Newcastle Eagles, Glasgow Rocks and Surrey Heat, who all advance due to finishing in a top four spot in the BBL Championship last season.

With one half of the quarter-finalists already confirmed, the other four participants will be determined from the other eight teams who will fight it out on the weekend of the 18-20 October.

Sharks won silverware last season in the form of the BBL Trophy and they will be hoping to get another in the cabinet again this season, when they host London Lions, who will be excited by their move to a new home at the Copper Box Arena.

Worcester Wolves will entertain Manchester Giants and the new kids on the block, Birmingham Knights, will be visited by Plymouth University Raiders who are no strangers to BBL Cup Final appearances, having been in one a mere 18 months ago.

Durham Wildcats and Cheshire Phoenix will be the last two teams locking horns to try and progress to the next phase, which will take place in early November.

The semi-final round will again be two-legged, with the last four teams fighting it out to play at the 2014 BBL Cup Final on Sunday 12th January, in front of what will inevitably be another mammoth crowd at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. To book your tickets now, visit www.bbl.org.uk/cupfinal or call 0844 338 8000.

The BBL Cup First Round draw is as follows:

One Health Sharks Sheffield v London Lions
Worcester Wolves v Manchester Giants
Birmingham Knights v Plymouth University Raiders
Durham Wildcats v Cheshire Phoenix