New team, new format, new opening date: PSL U21 tourney to kick off July 7 with only nine teams

CEBU, Philippines —  There will be a new team, new format, and new opening date for the VisMin leg of the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) Under 21 Aspirants Division Second Conference.

After being postponed twice, the highly anticipated event featuring some of the best U21 ballers across the Visayas and Mindanao region will finally kick off four days from now at the Cebu City Sports Institute in Barangay Sawang Calero.

The month-long tilt was originally set to start last July 26 but was moved to July 2.

It was again reset by the organizers to July 7 to give the league’s newest team, the Asturias Corn Ranchers of mayor Dongkoy Dumdum and coach Junthy Valenzuela, ample time to complete their lineup.

The entry of Asturias is very timely following the withdrawal of LGU Barili.

Aside from Barili, the Davao de Oro Future Hopes also pulled out of the league, leaving the Davao Occidental

Dreamers, Bukidnon Cowboys, and Cagayan de Oro Sealcor Kingfishers to carry the fight for Mindanao.

In all, only nine teams led by defending champion Consolacion Sarok Weavers will be seeing action in the upcoming event.

The rest of the contenders are the ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Chiefs, Sherilin-Unisol Mandaue City, Bogo City Bogoys, and San Fernando Buffalos.

That forced the league to changed the tournament format.

From a double round, the teams will now play a single round in the elimination. The top three in each division will figure in another round robin to determine that top two in each division that will play in the division finals, which is a best-of-three series.

Also, the top two qualifiers per division will proceed to the National Championship most likely in Pampanga next month.