THE first of its kind Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Collegiate Sponsors League will at last open on October 13 at the Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center.
SBP-Davao operations head Ronel Leuterio, in Thursday's (October 3) Davao Sportswriters Association Forum at The Annex of SM City Davao, said Ateneo de Davao University Blue Knights, Jose Maria College Kings, University of Mindanao Wildcats, Holy Child College of Davao Reds and Holy Cross of Davao College Crusaders are among the 18 teams that will be seeing action in the league.
Teams from other parts of the Davao region are also entered.
"There will be nine schools in each bracket and the top four teams will play in the quarterfinals where winners will advance to the semifinals then to the finals," he said.
He said the top teams will have the advantage in the home-and-away quarter-finals. He said they initially plan to have participating teams also host games of the tournament.
He said they will also encourage participating teams to bring their own supporters from their respective schools during the opening ceremonies, which they plan to stream live.
Leuterio said, "This is the qualifying for the Philippine Collegiate Champions League Mindanao, the champion of which will play in Manila for the national finals."
The cagefest, according to him in past interviews, is a great opportunity to revive collegiate basketball and sustain the teams through the sponsors who can provide allowances and uniforms to the players and coaches.