Jawo, Asi grace cage rites in Tondo

As hot as the scorching sun of summer is the grand opening of the 55th Barrio Obrero Youth Athletic Association (BOYAA) summer basketball league with PBA superstars Asi Taulava of Talk ’n Text and Rich Alvarez of Shell gracing the affair today in Tondo, Manila.

Taulava, the 2003 PBA Most Valuable Player, and Alvarez, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s Rookie Draft and a two-time UAAP MVP, will join PBA legend Sen. Robert Jaworski in the opening to be televised by ABC-5.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza will be the guest of honor in the longest-running street basketball tournament in the country, which was home to several former PBA players like ex-Crispa Redmanizer Epoy Alcantara and journeyman Onchie dela Cruz.

BOYAA, led by its president former Trinity College standout Boyet Balacania, is spicing up the tournament with the 25-and-below Open Seniors division allowing college teams to participate only with a minimum fee.

Interested parties can submit their lineups along with birth certificates and school IDs of the players at the BOYAA office. Look for either tournament commissioner Boneng Discipulo or Jun Asuncion, or call 0927-4707150.

Other divisions are the 12-and-under Mini-Kids, 15-and-under Kids and 18-and-under Juniors, which allows 2 high school players as reinforcements. The parade of teams will start at 1 p.m.