After SEABA, BAP to host Asian Universities caging

After a highly successful staging of the fourth South East Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) Men’s Championships, the Basketball Association of the Philippines faction of Tiny Literal is gearing up for a big follow-up — the second Asian Universities Basketball Championships (AUBC) on May 21 to 26.

Secretary General Graham Lim, who was appointed basketball committee chairman of the Asian Universities Sports Federation (AUSF), said the week-long championship hopes to gather six of the best basketball-playing universities of Asia.

Leading the list in the powerhouse roster of teams are China’s Beijing Industrial College, Chinese-Taipei’s Physical Education College and Korea’s Choonang University.

A collegiate titlist from Japan and a representative champion university from a Southeast Asian country are also being considered.

St. Francis of Assisi, led by Yancy de Ocampo, earned the right to represent the Philippines to the six-nation tournament after winning the National Students Basketball Championships (national inter-collegiate) in San Pablo City last February.

University of Manila, starring Biboy Simon, ruled the initial staging of the cagefest also in Manila in January of 1998. The Hawks upset a sweet-shooting Chinese-Taipei side in the finals.