Friday, August 10, 2007 BAP-SBP boosts regional hoops
THE BAP-SBP is going to revive the spirit of regional basketball following the launching of the BAP-SBP Pilipinas Cup, which is scheduled on Oct. 2 to 13.
Lately, the organizing committee revealed a total of 16 teams, representing 16 zones. The teams set to relive the good old days of regional basketball with the merging of three premier amateur leagues—the PBL, the Mindanao-Visayas Basketball Association and the National Basketball Conference.
In its latest meeting at the PBL office in Pasig City, the organizing committee , led by its project director Noel Zarate, announced the groupings of the teams.
Teams coming from North Luzon, Central Luzon and representatives from Northern and Central Metro Manila are in Group A with Baguio City eyed to host the Group elimination round.
Calamba-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon represented by Antipolo City, the Southern Metro Manila, Mimaropa and Bicol are in Group B.
Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor, Panay, Negros Occidental and Oriental and the Samar-Leyte areas are in Group C.
And Group D will be have teams from Northend Mindanao, which will join forces with the Caraga Region, the Davao region, the Zamboanga Peninsula and Socsksargen.
Also in Group D are the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao. Misamis Oriental governor Oscar Moreno is planning to host the Mindanao Group elimination.
“We are presently eyeing holding the group stages in Baguio, Antipolo, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro, not only because of their geographical advantages but also because of their tourism value,” Zarate said in an e-mailed statement. (RCM)
