Games on Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
12 nn. – Opening Ceremony
2:30 p.m. – Mapúa vs LPU (srs)
5 p.m. – CSB vs San Beda (srs)
AND so it begins.
Just a year after claiming its first championship in more than three decades, Mapúa University sets its sights on another one as it clashes with Lyceum of the Philippines University in Wednesday’s start of the 101st NCAA basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
But Cardinals coach Randy Alcantara admitted the road back to the top would be harder this season after losing Chris Hubilla and Laurence Mangubat, vital cogs in their magnificent title run a season back.
Messrs. Hubilla and Mangubat ended up transferring to Jose Rizal University where Nani Epondulan, who was also part of Mr. Alcantara’s coaching staff, took over as head coach from Louie Gonzales early this year.
“It would be tougher this year because we lost some key players,” said Mr. Alcantara. “But we’re hoping our new guys will fill those gaps.”
Mr. Alcantara was referring to new recruits Cyrus Nitura from University of Perpetual Help, Cyril Gonzales from University of the Philippines, and Drex delos Reyes from National University.
Game time is set 2:30 p.m., which will be followed by the duel between last year’s runner-up College of St. Benilde and a dangerous San Beda University at 5 p.m., in a pair of explosive matches that pitted the same schools that made the Final Four a year ago.
Philippine Sports Commission Chair Pato Gregorio will be the league’s guest of honor in the inaugural rites set at 12 noon with GMA 7 as the official broadcaster.
The season will also mark the league’s decision to change format for the first time since the 90s where champions were decided using the pennant system.
From the double round-robin style, it will now be a two-group system where pool mates will play each other twice and opposing bracket teams only once for a total of 13 elimination round games from the original 18 assignments each.
Apart from Mapúa and LPU, Group A has San Sebastian, Perpetual Help and Arellano University while Group B has Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Emilio Aguinaldo College and Jose Rizal University aside from CSB and San Beda.
The top three teams per bracket will advance straight to the quarterfinals with the top two earning a critical twice-to-beat edge.
Practically gone was the old Final Four format and was replaced by a best-of-three semifinal series.
The winners advance to the finale, which will be another best-of-three affair. — Joey Villar
