Handy Fix Super League inter-barangay hoop

CEBU, Philippines - A total of 72 teams from all over the country are expected to see action in the Handy Fix Super League National open inter-barangay basketball tournament, which will be played in three key metropolitan cities.

The event is set in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.

First to open will be the Metro Davao league on September 4 to be followed by the opening of the Metro Manila league on September 11 and finally the Metro Cebu league opening on Sept. 18 at the Capitol Parish Gym along Escario street, this city.

There will be 24 teams each allotted for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao areas.   

Tournament officials led by Darren Evangelista of Handy Fix and Rey Cañete, representing the technical committee, said the tournament is open to all basketball players under 25 years of age.

Considering the number of participating teams, there will be regional eliminations where the teams are divided into two brackets (A and B) with six teams each group. The group stage will follow the single round robin format.

The regional finals will be played on November 12-13.

The top four teams will advance into the crossover semifinals with no. 1 taking up the no. 4 seed and the no. 2 team will be playing against the third-ranked team.

Evangelista has announced that Cebu will be the host city of the national finals.   

The national champion in this tournament will receive Php 25 thousand cash, the second Php 15 thousand, the third placer Php 10 thousand and the fourth placer Php 5 thousand.

There will be a registration fee of Php 1,000 thousand each team.    

Evangelista and a marketing official from Handy Fix France Maliapre were invited guests of the weekly SCOOP sports forum yesterday at the Baseline Restaurant hosted by Bobby Inoferio.   

Other guests were eskrima Supreme Grand Master Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete, who announced the publication of his fifth book on eskrima very soon, coach Danny Duran of the Theam Cargo/Mambaling whose wards are playing for the finals on Sunday of the St. Augustine Cup in Inayawan, Grandmaster John Mac, Australian Master Mike Barker, Choy de la Sala, one-legged swimmer/athlete Arnold Balais, among others. (FREEMAN)