70 HS teams join MMBL’s 30th Season
The Metro Manila Basketball League (MMBL), one of the longest running high school cage tournaments in the country, celebrates its 30th season when it commences on November 10, 2012 at the Ynares Center in Pasig City.
Supported by Seaoil and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), the MMBL welcomes 70 participating high school teams from all over Metro Manila that will comprise five divisions, including the pioneering girls' division.
"We've grown from having seven or eight teams to now having 70 teams participating," said tournament director and founder Edmundo "Ato" Badolato. The league was founded in 1982 with San Beda, Ateneo, La Salle Greenhills, UNO High School, Perpetual Help College of Rizal, Mapua and Arellano as founding members. Badolato, the most recognized high school coach in the country, steered the Red Cubs over the Blue Eaglets for the league's first championship. Among the members of the team were future professional cagers Benjie Paras, Gerry Esplana and Macky De Joya.
Present at the press conference held at the Max's Restaurant in Greenhills, San Juan City were SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios, National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) Training Director Alex Compton, MMBL Commissioner Boy Sison, and MMBL alumnus Paras, together with current amateur stars Kiefer Ravena of Ateneo, Kevin Alas of Letran and Kirk Long of NLEX, who all saw action in the MMBL during their high school days. Long used to play for Faith Academy in the MMBL.
The participating schools this season include Adamson University, Chiang Kai Shek, Letran, De La Salle Zobel, Far Eastern University-FERN, Our Lady of Fatima University, San Beda-Rizal, University of Santo Tomas, Arellano University, Faith Academy, National University, UNO High School, College of San Benildo-Rizal, Escuela de Sofia of Caloocan, Southridge School, St. Jude Catholic School, Trinity University of Asia, Gymnazo Christian School, La Consolacion College Manila, Dominican College Sta. Rosa, Espiritu Santo Catholic School, San Beda-Alabang, St. Stephen's High School, Casimiro Ynares Memorial School, Hope Academy, Ateneo, Hope Christian High School, Malayan Institute of Technology, University of the Philippines Integrated School, Xavier School, Emilio Aguinaldo College, International School Manila, Kings Montessori School, Australian International School, Armanda College, Colegio San Agustin-Binan, Lourdes School Mandaluyong, St. Andrew's School, La Salle College-Antipolo, Our Lady's Angels School, Quezon City Science High School, St. James Academy, San Sebastian College, and The Seed Montessori School.
There are four divisions for boys, with two groups in each division, and a girls' division. In Division I, the most competitive of all classes, Group A consists of Adamson, Chiang Kai Shek, Letran, La Salle Zobel, FEU, Fatima, San Beda and UST, while Group B is made up of Ateneo, Hope Christian, Malayan, NU, San Sebastian, UPIS and Xavier.
Among the heavy favorites this year are UAAP titlist FEU, NCAA champion San Beda, San Sebastian, NU, Letran and Xavier.
The games will be played on Saturdays and Sundays in various venues including International School Manila, St. Stephen's High School, Faith Academy, Xavier School, Chiang Kai Shek and San Beda College Manila.
Meanwhile, the league will feature new innovations like the All-Star Weekend where all-star games in each division will be held. Also, the top four teams from Division I will join twelve other high school teams from around the country for the Seaoil-NBTC National Championships early next year.
Both the SBP and Seaoil have committed to support the MMBL as part of their thrust to develop grassroots basketball in the country.
"Seaoil is proud to partner with the MMBL. Alex and I believe that with this long-term partnership, it will greatly benefit more players and coaches, especially the schools in the National Capital Region," said NBTC Executive Director Eric Altamirano. Barrios added that probably 100% of the Under-16 National Team roster to be formed for next year's SEABA would come from players seeing action in the MMBL.
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
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