Alaska D-League kicks off tomorrow

CEBU, Philippines - A record number of 76 teams will comprise the Cebu Youth Basketball League’s  third major tournament of the year: the Alaska Basketball D-League 2014. The tournament kicks off with a soft opening of games tomorrow at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Mango Campus Gym.

The D-League will also have a brand new division on top of its usual age groups as the Girls Under 17 division has been established. Also up for grabs are titles in the Boys Under 17, 15, 12 and 10 age groups.

All age groups will have Division 1 and 2 brackets, with the stronger teams bracketed in Division 1 while the Challenger teams are in Division 2. Among the title favorites include the University of San Carlos (North and South), University of the Visayas, and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu.

Also playing are Don Bosco, University of San Jose Recoletos, UV-Mandaue, Cebu Eastern College and Southwestern University. Among the Division 2 team include San Isidro Parish School, UV-Mandaue, St. Alphonsus Catholic School, Don Bosco Lilo-an, Salazar Institute of Technology, Mt. Olives Christian Academy, One on One, AE Sports Toledo, Monterey School, Quiot Elementary School, Virgen de las Escuelas Pias School, Thumbs Up, Colegio de la Inmaculada Mandaue and Ormoc. Meanwhile, the new Girls Under 17 division is being formed with initial participants Abellana National School, Mandaue City, Consolacion High School, Apas and Minglanilla.

Games will be played every weekend, and are expected to run until November. The Alaska Basketball D-League 2014 is the third tournament of the CYBL following the Alaska Basketball Cup Cebu from January to March 2014 and the CYBL VISMIN Goodwill Games held in the summer. Alaska is the CYBL’s major partner under the direction of Alaska team manager Richard “Dickie” Bachmann. (FREEMAN)