As you read this, the PBA is preparing for its first-ever road game in Balanga, Bataan. The Alaska Aces and Red Bull Thunder formally open the Commissioner’s Cup at the People’s Center there. A few hours before that, though, the University of the East and Far Eastern University square off in the finals of the Fr. Martin Cup, which began its voluminous tournament with a staggering number of teams.
Tomorrow, of course, is the big day for hoops fans. And you’d need more than one TV set to keep track of it all. After a long wait, the MBA opens its 2001 season with its usual north to south whip-around. There are parties planned in all eight of the league’s regular venues, but the big bashes will be in San Juan and Bacolod. The defending champion Knights host the beefed-up Batangas Blades, who now feature the core of the 1999 Manila Metrostars. San Juan is parading a younger, albeit more athletic team, while Batangas has enhanced its bid for a title with the veterans from Manila: Alex Compton, Romel Adducul, Peter Martin and Chuchu Serrano.
In the second game, the Southern Conference champion Negros Slashers take on the injury-plagued Cebu Gems. Cebu, which arguably boasts of the most potent line-up in the league, has three key players not at 100 percent. Matt Mitchell dislocated his thumb and may not see action in the first couple of weeks. Max Delantes hurt his knee in practice two weeks ago, and Jan Montalbo reportedly has a sixteen-stitch wound in his forehead from a pre-season fracas with Socsargen. Despite all that, the Gems lost only by a last-second 3-point shot to the Nueva Ecija Patriots in a tune-up game. The Patriots were venting their ire after being blown out by the Laguna Lakers the day before.
Knowing ABS-CBN, there will be plenty of entertainment in both venues. Angela Velez and Boom of Kulay will be among the featured performers.
And that’s not all.
The Asian Universities Basketball championship also opens earlier in the day at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. Some of the toughest school in the region will duke it out for one week. Among them are Beijing Shougong Industrial College, Chinese-Taipei University Sports Federation, College of St. Benilde, St. Francis of Assisi, Far Eastern University and defending champion University of Manila. On top of that, in a few weeks the UAAP and NCAA open their men’s basketball tournaments a week apart.
And I haven’t even mentioned the NBA playoffs. At any rate, the Lakers will probably murder either the Sixers or the Bucks, anyway. But I digress.
There are still controversies abounding in the sport. The Basketball Association of the Philippines will have its elections. BAP president Tiny Literal and his team were almost evicted from his office at Rizal Memorial, and given a reprieve because of the Asian Universities championship. There’s still the unresolved issue of Eric Menk’s eligibility to play in the PBA, and the future of our national men’s and women’s teams. The women’s team is supposed to play in their SEABA tournament in July, but some other countries have not confirmed participation. The men’s team is set to defend the SEA Games gold medal in September.
And we just launched The Basketball Show on RPN 9, Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 6 p.m.
Have I mentioned that we seem to be overdoing basketball?
Just a little bit?