PHILIPPINE basketball legend Ronnie Magsanoc and the participating coaches of the Next Generation Basketball League (NGBL) are looking forward to the balanced and competitive playing field that is expected to take place when the inaugural season opens on August 11.
Magsanoc, who will serve as the League Commissioner of the newest Under-19 basketball league, is confident that the NGBL will feature high-octane action between the country’s best high school squads.
“I believe that the NGBL has formulated a competition wherein the top-notch schools are going to be able to compete against one another,” said Magsanoc, who will be overseeing the league together with San Miguel Sports Director and Executive Committee Chairman Alfrancis Chua, Tournament Director LA Tenorio of Ginebra, Program Director Bonnie Tan of NorthPort, and Operations Manager & PBA Chief Statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
”Our focus for now is to provide the best possible avenue for high school teams to compete in. Alongside this are value formation, discipline, obedience, and at the same time, equipping them with the lens of playing the game the right way,” added the three-time PBA champion who is also working with NGBL President Bigboy Cheng and Finance Head Eric Ang.
Meanwhile, the UAAP, NCAA, and Filipino-Chinese schools are raring to lock horns with each other as they continue with their respective preparations in their mother leagues.
They are also optimistic that the NGBL’s vision of exposure and brand of competitiveness will help them boost their upcoming campaigns.
“Every coach wants every tournament to be very competitive,” said La Salle Greenhills Head Coach Renren Ritualo. “So, the first question that I asked when I was invited was sino yung mga nag join na teams?”
“And when I saw that it was very competitive, I decided to join,” furthered the 2002 PBA Rookie of the Year of the league which is supported by URATEX, Jollibee, World Balance, Converge as official internet provider, Verleo Catering, Tanduay Athletics, Gatorade, Molten as official game ball, Team Rebel Sports Pilipinas as the official league outfitter, Summit Natural Drinking Water, SWISH as official league statistics app, and RICA UPVC Aluminum Glass and Trading Corp.
To assure the balance between the participating squads, the NGBL will be holding its Group Draw on Monday at District 8 Manila in San Juan City, and the proceedings will be:
1. The fifteen (15) teams will be grouped into two (2)- Group A with eight (8) teams and Group B with seven (7).
2. The drawing of lots will be as follows:
a. The top 2 participating teams from the NCAA last season — Letran and Perpetual — will draw lots to determine which of them will go to Group A and Group B.
b. The top 2 participating teams from the UAAP last season — NU & FEU — will draw lots to determine which of them will go to Group A and Group B.
c. The No. 3 & 4-ranked participating teams from the NCAA last season — Mapua & San Beda — will draw lots to determine which of them will go to Group A and Group B.
d. The 3 remaining teams from the UAAP – Ateneo, UST, and UE — will draw lots to determine which 2 teams will go to Group A and which 1 team will go to Group B.
e. The 4 remaining teams from the NCAA – Lyceum, Arellano, JRU, and LSGH – will draw lots to determine which 2 teams will go to Group A and which of the 2 remaining teams will go to Group B.
f. The 2 Fil-Chi teams – MGC & Xavier – will draw lots to determine which of them will go to Group A and Group B.
The NGBL opens on August 11 at the Tanduay Gym where all Sunday and Holiday games will be played. On the other hand, Saturday matchups are to be played at the Aero Center in Quezon City.
