Top UAAP, NCAA teams join jr league

MANILA, Philippines - Eleven teams, four each from UAAP and NCAA, and three from Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball League will dispute the inaugural Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championships (PSSBC) crown which fires on Oct. 27 at The Arena in San Juan.

League-leading Far Eastern University and defending champion National University will head the UAAP teams while San Beda College and San Sebastian College banner the NCAA squads.

Reigning champion Chiang Kai Shek College, Xavier School and Hope Christian make up the Tiong Lian cast in the tournament designed to develop further the skills and talents of the country’s leading junior players.

The other members of the UAAP and NCAA will be known after completion of the elimination rounds.

Hapee Toothpaste owner Dr. Cecilio Pedro and Ever Bilena chairman and CEO Dioceldo Sy, two of the eight convenors of the league, expect no less than a tough competition among the elite junior teams.

“Although our main objective is to help prepare these players for a more challenging college life, we’re sure that the bragging rights as to who is the No. 1 high school team will come into fore once these teams play,” said Pedro.

Aside from Hapee and Blackwater Sports, other backers of the event are Welcoat House Paints owner Terry Que, Jimi Lim of Ironcon Builders, Jimmy dela Cruz of Jumbo Plastic Linoleum, Leoncio Chua of MEC, Rudy Yu of Dickies Underwear and Edward Tio of Wrangler.