3rd VAAA cagefest draws 10 teams Welcomes AMA in its fold

CEBU - The Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA) men’s basketball tournament will kick off its third season with another surefire double-header on November 8 at the Cebu Coliseum.

A total of 10 teams divided into two brackets have confirmed their participation in the two-month tilt during the organizational meeting presided over by VAAA founder and legendary M. Lhuillier coach Raul D. Alcoseba yesterday at Yayoy’s Grill and Resto Bar.

Defending champion and eight-time CESAFI titlist University of the Visayas (UV) Lancers are under Bracket A alongside Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras, Asian College of Technology (ACT) Cyber Knights, AMA Computer Learning Center (ACLC) Titans, and Bohol Institute of Technology-International College (BIT-IC) Cruisers.

Inaugural VAAA title-holder University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars lead the cast in Bracket B along with the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology (SCSIT) Skyblazers, Western Leyte College (WLC) Mustangs of Ormoc City, and the Asian College of Science and Technology (ACSAT) Lightnings of Dumaguete City.

VAAA commissioner Jose “Boy” Murillo said the tournament follows a single round robin format, with the top two teams advancing into the crossover semifinals. The winners will then clash for the championship in a best-of-three series.

In the season opener at 2:30 pm on November 8, USC will take on SCSIT in the first game, while SWU will tangle with ACT in the main game. The USJ-R Jaguars enjoy a bye as they will compete in the Visayas qualifying of the Collegiate Champions League (CCL) on November 9-12 at the Ormoc Superdome.

Before the hardcourt hostilities, a simple opening ceremony will take place. Alcoseba said he will invite Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Manny V. Pangilinan to grace the affair.

The deadline for the submission of lineup is on November 4 in time for the group’s final meeting still at Yayoy’s Grill. – EBV . (THE FREEMAN)