NAASCU unveils new season Friday

MANILA, Philippines - The National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) hopes the gains it achieved the past 10 years will just be as rewarding as it enters a new decade.

“We encountered some problems in the past, but we managed to weather the storm,” said NAASCU pro Mel Garrido of STI at the PSA Forum yesterday at Shakey’s UN Ave. “And we hope to soar to greater heights during the coming season.”

Now on its 11th year, the league kicks off its 2011-12 season this Friday at the Makati Coliseum, featuring the centerpiece event of basketball when defending champion University of Manila begins its title retention bid against STI in a rematch of last year’s finals.

Garrido also announced during the same session presented by Smart, Pagcor, Outlast Battery and Shakey’s that the league invited Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Sonny Barrios and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Atty. Chito Salud as special guests of honor during the opening ceremonies.

A new member school in Grace College is joining the league this season. The other teams are UM, STI, Fatima, AMA, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay, New Era College, Informatics College and host school St. Clare.