RCTV Basketball Cup opens today

The RCTV Inter-School Basketball Cup dubbed as Liga formally opens this morning at Bright Academy in Banilad. Games today:
9:00am - DBC vs. USC-South
10:30am -USC-N vs. USJ-R
1:00pm -LAMS vs. SHS
2:30pm - PCGS vs. SIT

The event opens with Cebu City councilor Sylvan "Jack" Jakosalem, chairman of the committee on sports, as the honored guest.

A total of 10 schools are joining the action set for high school students.

The competing squads will be split into two brackets and the elimination round will follow a single-round robin system.

Composing bracket A are Don Bosco College, host Bright Academy, University of San Carlos-South Campus, Salazar Institute of Technology and Philippine Christian Gospel School.

Bracket B will have the University of San Jose Recoletos, Cebu International School, University of San Carlos-North Campus, Sacred Heart School and Little Angels Montessorri School.

The top two squads of each bracket will advance to the cross-over semifinal round.

The organizing RCTV led by its CEO Mike Solon decided to feature the high school squads since they feel that it is in this level that needs more exposure.

RCTV Channel 36 will be airing some games on a delayed telecast with one school to be featured during the half time.

Coaches are expecting their athletes to work hard in their classes since the organizing body is not accepting players who have failing grades starting in the second grading period.

Many coaches revealed that some of their trusted players will be missing the event due to academic deficiencies.

Chad Songalia, project director and station manager of RTCV, said the outcome of the event will serve as a basis for this event to go on.

"This is just a dry-run for the next season. If this runs smoothly, we can come up with something big," said Songalia during the launching of the event at Antonio's Grill.

If it's going to be successful, they will also add an elementary division.