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Sunday, September 04, 2005
NBC ‘to have 16 teams’ in ’06
With the success of the National Basketball Conference this year, more teams want to join the league next season.
NBC secretary general Tito Palma said that the league will have at least 16 teams next year.
“With the current applications we are getting, it’s very flattering. We are looking forward to having at least 16 teams next year but that is a conservative count since there are a lot of teams raring to join the league for next year,” said Palma.
The NBC currently has 14 teams this season with eight in the Southern Conference and six up north. Next year, however, the league plans to divide the competition into four divisions: Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao.
“We are aiming for four divisions with four teams each, that’s where we begin.
After getting four teams in each division, then that’s the time we will entertain other applicants. I believe we can reach at least six teams in each division,” said Palma.
In Cebu, two teams are eyeing one slot left in the Visayas: the General Milling Corp., which will base its team in Lapu-Lapu City, and Cebu City’s Cebuana Lhuillier.
“In the Visayas, we now have three teams: Tribu Sugbu, Mandaue and Iloilo. Next year, there will be a team in Bacolod and Dumaguete City, leaving one more for Cebu. We are considering the applications of GMC and Cebuana Lhuillier,” said Palma.
“In Mindanao, we currently have Ozamiz, Cagayan de Oro, Valencia, Iligan and Zamboanga del Norte but we are entertaining the applications of Davao City, General Santos City and Zamboanga del Sur.”
Aside from Taguig, Parañaque and Manila, Makati City will be the new addition for Metro Manila, while Ilocos Sur will join Laguna, Baguio and Cavite for Luzon. Other applicants for the Luzon division are Pampanga and the comebacking Batangas.
“Definitely, it will be a long season next year with the number of teams joining us. We hope we can accommodate all these teams but we are wary of the bigger operational expenses next season,” Palma continued. (RCM)
(September 4, 2005 issue)
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