PBL envisions nationwide league

The Sunkist-PBL 2003 Unity Cup kicking off March 23 at the San Juan Gym hopes to pave the way for a truly nationwide basketball league.

Games will be played four times a week to reach as many basketball fans as action shifts from the Makati Coliseum to the Pasig Sports Center and San Juan Gym and to provincial venues like Baguio and Pampanga up North to Batangas and Quezon and even Cebu, Bacolod and Davao down south if plans pushed through.

Opening games at the San Juan Gym this Sunday will feature the game between newcomer Viva Mineral Water Force against Challenge Cup runner-up Hapee Toothpaste at 2 p.m. and the match pitting Nutri-licious against Montana Jewels at 4 p.m.

With the comeback of RFM and San Miguel Corp., two known supporters of the league the past 20 years, the coming season augurs well for the PBL which hopes to go nationwide in an ambitious expansion program.

"Basketball has been proven an effective tool in promoting the virtues of discipline and hardwork for a good citizenry," said PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad.

Nine teams, grouped into three divisions, will be vying for the title.

Blu Star, LBC-Batangas and Nutri-licious comprise the Luzon division; ICTSI-La Salle, Welcoat and John-O are grouped into NCR while Montana Jewels, Hapee Toothpaste and Viva Mineral Water compose the Vis-Min area.