NCAA to ban cagers from playing in PBL

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has suspended its memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Basketball League, barring its players from playing in the league which has been an efficient venue in honing its cagers for the collegiate cage wars.

This was bared by Philippine Christian University athletic director Rachad Cunanan, who said the NCAA board considered the PBL a pro league based on the recent ruling of the Games and Amusements Board.

"Players do improve a lot after being exposed to developmental leagues or being handled by top caliber coaches. But then we now have a standing policy not to allow our players to play in the PBL which we consider a pro league," said Cunanan, who guested along with NCAA presidential committee consultant Alfredo Olano in the weekly PSA forum sponsored by AgfaColor and Red Bull.

"We’ll be pushing for a review of the policies after this basketball season. Since nothing yet has been resolved on the BAP leadership, we plan to propose to the NCAA board that our players be allowed to play only in the PYBL," said Cunanan.

Cunanan and Olano said the host PCU is in the finishing touches of its preparations for the kick off of the 77th NCAA season set July 7 at the Araneta Coliseum.

This year’s theme "Revitalizing the Heritage of Sports" emphasizes the importance that amateurism, discipline and sportsmanship played in the NCAA’s contributions to Philippine sports.

Eight sporting events are lined up this year. Aside from basketball, the other sports are volleyball, chess, swimming, track and field, football, lawn tennis and taekwondo which PCU will be hosting.

Games will be aired over PTV-4 by Media Conglomerates Inc. through the facilities of Silverstar Communications.