MANILA, Philippines – Buoyed by its successful 15th year, the Millennium Basketball League (MBL) welcomes the new year with the MBL First Conference basketball championship at the Rizal Coliseum next month.
The tournament, which serves as the league’s first offering for the new year, is expected to be participated in by select commercial and collegiate teams.in the country.
MBL chairman Alex Wang said the league, now on its 16th year, will continue to provide the venue for experienced players who can still play the game and talented young ones hoping to make it to the big leagues.
“The MBL which was established in 2000, continues to be successful because of its role of providing a venue for both experienced and aspiring players to showcase their talent in basketball,”said Wang, an avid player himself.
“The MBL will continue to be here because of this love for basketball,” added Wang.
Among the teams expected to participate in the season-opening tournament are defending champion Gerry’s Grill-Diliman College and runner-up Wang’s Ballclub-AMA University, newly-crowned Don Mariano Garing Cup champion Macway Travel Club and former MBL champion Hobe Bihon.
Also invited are V Hotel- University of Santo Tomas, Franzie Cologne, Arellano University, Naughty Needlez-Philippine Christian University, Fly Dragon, Team Panda, Lyceum of the Philippines, Centro Escolar University, De Ocampo Memorial College, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, St. Clare College-Caloocan, Fatima University and Colegio de San Lorenzo.
Tournament format is single-round elimination with the top two teams advancing to the semis outright with twice-to-beat advantages.
The No. 3 team will meet the No. 6 squad while the No. 4 team will play No. 5 in a pair of knockout matches.
For inquiries, call up /text Albert Andaya at cell No. 0917-7688638.