Pittsburgh, PA - The 2009 Pittsburgh NABA Full Season Schedule was released today.  Each team is slated to play 24 games with an all-star game slated for July 1st, and playoffs scheduled to begin on July 25th.  The Pittsburgh NABA Championship Series is scheduled to start on August 3rd.  The entire season should wrap up by August 9th.  Some of the highlights:

Saturday April 18th - Rebels vs. Bulldogs - The season opens as the 2007 Champion Rebels host the perennial playoff contending Bulldogs.  The Rebels have lost the league MVP from the 2007 season in Jesse Jones, and will be featuring a roster largely overhauled from their championship season.  The Bulldgos return their core group that went 18-6 in 2007, and made the playoffs a year ago.

Thursday, April 30th - Oilers vs. Matadors - The first meeting of 2009 of two teams who battled until the very end for a playoff berth in 2008.  The Oilers have lost 2008 Pitcher of the Year Jason Ashcroft, but return most of their other regulars as they have added speed and youth in the draft.  The Matadors return with a roster largely the same as their 2007 Championship berth, and that made them one of the top team a year ago.

Saturday, May 16th - Gray Bats vs. Bombers Doubleheader - The two expansion teams battle it out in a home and home doubleheader hosted at a neutral site; Gateway Junior High School.

Saturday May 16th - Owlz vs. Warriors -  A rematch of the two participants from the 2009 Pittsburgh NABA Championship Series.  The Warriors, one of the original teams in the NABA continue to build around their core group of Boley, Heckman, Ryba, Lesher, and Heintzleman.  The Owlz lose 2008 league MVP James Fago, but have rebuilt their roster with an eye on repeating as Pittsburgh NABA Champions.

Saturday, June 13th - Black Sox vs. Owlz - The Owlz travel to Moore Park to battle the Black Sox in a rematch of the fiercely battled Monogahela Championship Series from 2008.  The Black Sox return with some new addions to their roster from 2008, and manager Kenny Rayl surely has his eye on displacing the Owlz as Monongahela Champions on their way to another Pittsburgh NABA Championship.

Saturday, June 27th - Eagles vs. Ducks - Last year, these two teams battled until the final week for the final Monogahela playoff berth.  In this final 2009 meeting between these two teams, expect nothing less than some hard nosed baseball.  Both teams feature some key new additions.

Saturday, June 27th - Hurricanes vs. Warriors - The Hurricanes finished 2008 with the worst record in the Pittsburgh NABA.  The Warriors were within one game of the Pittsburgh NABA Championship.  With top pick Jesse Ferko, and some key roster additions from the folded Phantoms, the Hurricanes should be in a position to lock up a top seed in the Allegheny playoffs by this date.

Thursday July 1st -  All-Star Game - The Allegheny versus the Monongahela All-Stars.

Saturday, July 25th - Playoffs scheduled to begin.

Monday, August 3rd - Pittsburgh NABA Championship Series Game 1