Term 1 2026: NCAA Tournament

We’re kicking off the new calendar with a bang!
Term 1, 2026 will see the launch of our all-new March Madness-style competition — a fast-paced, tournament-style event designed to prepare players, coaches, and clubs for the first full Winter Season under our new competition format.

This exciting new structure will feature:

🔥 No divisions — all teams compete together in one open pool.

🏆 No knockouts — every team continues to play right through the tournament.

⚔️ Winners vs. Winners — each round matches the strongest teams against each other, leading to the ultimate showdown to crown the top team in each age group.

The Term 1 Tournament is all about intensity, development, and competition — providing the perfect pre-season challenge while fostering strong rivalries and high-level play before the main Winter Season begins.

Depending on the total number of teams in each age group, teams will either:

• Be placed into pools to compete in round-robin matchups during the opening rounds, or
• Move directly into a Winners vs. Winners and Losers vs. Losers bracket format.

💰 Reduced Fees After Christmas!

To make it easier for families and clubs during the holiday period, we’ll be offering reduced SWM registration fees for this competition, which will be 50% of the 2026 Winter Season fee
(Not including BQ registration fees – 12 months).

This tournament will also assist clubs by providing a strong indication of each team’s appropriate division placement for the upcoming Winter Season commencing in Term 2.

 

Winter / Summer Seasons

South West Metro Pirates are transitioning to a new Winter and Summer season structure, designed to better align with the broader Australian sports calendar and provide a more consistent year-round competition pathway. With opportunities for all athletes to play basketball in our association.

WHY?

• Reduces administrative burden for clubs directly after the Christmas break.
• Provides financial relief for members by lowering participation costs around the holiday period.
• Aligns better with BQ SOJBC competitions, allowing for more comprehensive restricted player rules.
• Increases participation during the summer season from multi-sport athletes.

The Format:

Summer Season:
Term 4 & Term 1 (Oct – Mar)

Winter Season:
Term 2 & Term 3 (Apr – Sep)

(First full season of 2026)

 

Click Here to Check you Age Group!

Age Groups & Years of Participation 2026 / 27

* Athletes highlighted in gold may participate in the U23 competition.