Liga Pilipinas, the country’s newest regional basketball league, will formally be launched with a series of activities today that will culminate with a simple program starting at 6:30 pm at the Grand Ballroom of Casino Español de Cebu.
“We’re very excited about the opening of Liga Pilipinas. It’s a long process to put up a project to help develop Philippines basketball. We want to cultivate a healthy athmosphere among our young basketball talents,” said Liga commissioner Jose Emmanuel “Noli” Eala in a press conference yesterday at Yayoy’s Grill and Resto Bar.
“Liga Pilipinas is far greater and wider interest in order to professionalize community basketball in the Philippines. This is a milestone event,” added Eala, who is also the President and CEO of Pinoy Basketbol Incorporated.
Also present during the press launch were event host and Cebu Niños head coach Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba, Liga basketball operations head Severino “Butch” Antonio, Alex Pal of the leagues official TV carrier National Broadcasting Network (NBN), technical committee chief Cipriano “Perry” Martinez, business development officer Joey Bautista, and marketing manager Rico Meneses.
The initial batch of 14 teams will be unveiled in the formal yet simple opening salvo led by the Pampanga Buddies and Cebu Niños, the North and South pre-season champions.
The other teams include the Ilocos Snipers, Baguio Victory, Taguig Batang Global, Laguna Stallions, Iloilo Warriors, Misamis Oriental Meteors, Zamboanga Amores, Pagadian Explorers, Ozamiz Cota, Quezon team and two newly admitted members, Batangas Barakos and the Cavite Heroes.
Hardcourt hostilities in Liga Pilipinas will start on June 11 yet at a still undetermined venue.
Festive activities will kick off the launch day for the fledgling organization starting off with a Team Owners Unity Basketball Game at the Cebu Coliseum at 9 am followed by a VIP lunch to be hosted by Eala at the Crown Regency Hotel and Towers.
At 2 pm, the full Liga schedule will be announced to the teams after a short board meeting of Pinoy Basketbol Inc., mother company of Liga Pilipinas.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan has been invited to deliver the keynote speech during the opening ceremonies.
“The fun and excitement of regional basketball is back. We are proud of the modest gains of Liga at this infancy stage. Now the real work begins,” said Eala, who will be joined at the opening ceremonies by Liga officials Tac Padilla, Michel Lhuillier, Tito Palma, Jose Soberano, Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno, and Tagaytay Mayor Bambol Tolentino.