Coke Hoopla Inter-City on

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion Muntinlupa will have to wait until Day 2 to begin defense of its maiden crown, but 10 other Challengers roar off the gate today when the Inter-City phase of the second Coca-Cola Hoopla National Capital Region Championship unfolds in 10 different venues.

The home-and-away Inter-City phase kicks off Monday with two explosive games each from the five competing zones.

 East matches pit Quezon City with Pateros at 6 p.m. at the Libis Covered Court in Quezon City, and Pasig with Marikina at 7 p.m. at Concepcion Lino in Marikina.

 North games have Caloocan battling Navotas at 6 p.m. at the Navotas Sports Complex, and Valenzuela facing Malabon at 7 p.m. at the Hulong Duhat Covered Court in Malabon.

Down South, Parañaque meets Muntinlupa at 4 p.m. at Area 1 in Paranaque, while Pasay clashes with Las Piñas at 6 p.m. at the Pasay Sports Complex.

Cainta tangles with Antipolo in West matches at 6 p.m. at San Roque in Cainta, while Binangonan takes on Taytay, also at 6 p.m., at Ynares Plaza in Binangonan.

Central games feature Makati against Mandaluyong at 2:15 p.m. at the Makati Coliseum, and Manila versus San Juan at Brgy 116 Zone 9 Covered Court in Manila.

In penultimate day intra-city games Saturday, Marcelo Green downed San Antonio, 95-89, in Parañaque, and Pinagbuhatan ripped Pilataw, 112-86, in Pasig.

A total cash prize of P500,000 is at stake in this grassroots-to-the-core project launched by JB Baylon, PBA Powerade Tigers governor and director for Public Affairs & Communications of Coca-Cola Export Corp., with P250,000 going to the eventual NCR champion.