PCCL search begins

I am away for a short trip abroad and will resume my commentaries on issues of the day on my return next week. Meantime, presented below are some of the features and highlights of the 2011 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) National Collegiate Championship.

Search for best collegiate teams begins

The annual search for the best collegiate teams in the country being conducted by Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) starts its ninth year with the opening of the 82nd NCAA season and the 74th UAAP games.

In the coming, weeks more than 30 “mother leagues” nationwide will also start competitions to determine the team champions that will participate and represent their respective leagues in the succeeding phases of the multi-level PCCL National Collegiate Championship.

At the end of the current collegiate basketball season, the 2011 National Collegiate Champion will be crowned and the school represented by the champion team will hold for one year the Manuel V. Pangilinan perpetual bronze sculpture, “Abutin Ang Tagumpay,” symbol of collegiate basketball supremacy.

In addition to the champion’s trophy, prizes are awarded to the schools represented by the top four teams in the finals and to the members of the winning teams. Special prizes are also at stake for those with outstanding performance is the finals series and for the regional champions.

The National Collegiate Champions over the past years were:

2010 – Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles;

2009 – Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles;

2008 – De La Salle University Green Archers;

2007 – Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles;

2006 – University of the East Red Warriors;

2005 – Far Eastern University Tamaraws;

2004 – Far Eastern University Tamaraws;

2003 – University of the East Red Warriors.

ABS-CBN Sports to cover regional championships

One of the objectives of PCCL and its media partner, ABS-CBN Sports, is to broaden the exposure of provincial collegiate players. Starting this year, all the regional championship games shall be covered by ABS-CBN television network and will be aired nationwide.

This bold move was initiated by Peter Musngi, head of ABS-CBN Sports, in response to clamor by budding players in the provinces for an opportunity to display their skills nationwide thru television. Presently, only players from the NCAA and UAAP enjoy the benefits of national exposure through television.

Peter believes that allocating resources for the coverage of provincial games is worthwhile investment in youth sports development. Sports other than basketball are in the pipeline for possible coverage by the network in the future.

Tournament structure and format

Details about the nationwide competition for 2011 have been finalized. Charts showing the regional championship match-ups and the “journey” to the Sweet 16 Finals are published in the official PCCL website, www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net.

In the following weeks, PCCL executive director and coach Joe Lipa will be presenting the PCCL National Collegiate Championship tournament structure and format to the various collegiate leagues all over the country.

Watch this space for updates on the 2011 Philippine Collegiate Championship Games or visit www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]m. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.