NCRAA: IMMACULADA CONCEPCION COLLEGES SISIMULAN ANG TITLE DEFENSE VS AIMS

MAGSISILBING special guest of honor si Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Executive Director Erica Dy sa pagbubukas ng 30th season ng National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) sa Biyernes sa Philsports Arena.

Si Dy ay magiging honorary speaker sa 11 a.m.opening ceremony na susundan ng tipoff sa pagitan ng University of Luzon at ng La Salle Dasmarinas.

Sinabi ni NCRAA General Manager Buddy Encarnado sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum na target ng three-decade league na palakasin ang partnership nito sa governing body ng bansa para sa basketball sa pagtuklas ng bagong local talent.

“We want to make sure that we have better options, that the basketball industry and NCRAA continue to do our best to discover, if I may emphasized homegrown talent, so we can now truly say we can contribute to the Gilas Pilipinas program,” sabi ni Encarnado, dating PBA chairman at team governor ng Sta. Lucia, at binanggit ang mga tulad ng magkapatid na Ranidel and Yancy de Ocampo, Marc Pingris, Gary David, at Vic Manuel na kabilang sa mga kilalang produkto ng liga na nagsilbi sa national team.

“Basically, we want to become a vibrant partner of SBP. We want to ensure that we develop new faces, discover talent from far-flung places. I go around and try to see if there will be some students who can take advantage of the scholarships that schools are offering and at the same time, give life to their dream to become a basketball star,” dagdag ni Encarnado habang binigyang-diin ang no-foreign player policy ng liga.

Sinamahan nina NCRAA president and Professor Mary Grace Demetillo (St. Dominic College of Asia), Benjamin Hernandez (PATTS College of Aeronautics), Hazel Mea (Lyceum University of the Philippines-Laguna), Engr. Ted Cada (AIMS), at  Chloe Mamon (Immaculada Concepcion Colleges) si Encarnado sa session.

Sisimulan ng defending champion Immaculada Concepcion Colleges ang kanilang title defense kontra Asian Institute of Maritime Studies (AIMS) sa 3 p.m.main game matapos ang  1 p.m. tussle sa pagitan ng St. Dominic College of Asia at ng Bestlink College of the Philippines.

Ang iba pang eskuwelahan na sasabak ngayong season ay ang PATTS College of Aeronautics, Lyceum of the Philippines-Laguna, Olivarez College, Emilio Aguinaldo College-Cavite, at  Philippine Marine Merchant School.

Bukod sa basketball, lalaruin din ang men at women’s volleyball, gayundin ang women’s basketball, e-sports, badminton, chess, table tennis, at women’s beach volleyball, isang event na pinasimulan ng NCRAA sa collegiate ranks.

Ayon kay Encarnado, ang format ng basketball competition ay  single round robin, kung saan ang top eight schools ay uusad sa crossover quarterfinals (1 vs. 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs. 6, at 4 vs 5).

Ang semifinals ay isa ring crossover competition, habang ang finals ay isang best-of-three series.

CLYDE MARIANO