Bullpups, Junior Altas square off in NGBL opener

MANILA – UAAP Season 86 finalist National University-Nazareth School will take on NCAA Season 99 finalist University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in the Next Generation Basketball League (NGBL) which kicks off on Aug. 11 at the Tanduay Gym in Manila.

The Bullpups and the Junior Altas square off at 10:30 a.m. after the 9 a.m. encounter between San Beda University and Arellano University.

Far Eastern University-Diliman will face University of Santo Tomas at 1 p.m. while University of the East will battle Jose Rizal University at 2:30 p.m.

"It's a good opportunity for exposure and our preparations for the upcoming Season 87. I'm expecting more competition," said NUNS Bullpups star and Season 87 MVP Collins Akowe.

Other school participating are Ateneo de Manila University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, La Salle Greenhills, Mapua University, Jose Rizal University, and Lyceum of the Philippines University, Xavier School and MGC New Life Christian Academy.

The teams will be divided into two groups with each group having a single round-robin elimination.

The Top 4 teams per group will advance to the crossover knockout quarterfinals. The semifinals and the finals will also be determined via KO games.

All Sunday and holiday games will be played at the Tanduay Gym, while the Saturday games will be at the Aero Center in Quezon City.

The NGBL, which aims to help high school hoopers become the country's future homegrown superstars, will award P300,000 to the champion team.

Helping tournament director LA Tenorio in running the league are NGBL Commissioner and PBA legend Ronnie Magsanoc, Executive Committee Chairman and San Miguel Sports Director Alfrancis Chua, Program Director Bonnie Tan of NorthPort, and Operations Manager and PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III. Executive Committee members Bigboy Cheng and Eric Ang head the Production and Finance groups, respectively. (PNA)