PHILIPPINE Sports Commission Chairman Butch Ramirez will be the guest of honor when the Sta. Lucia Land-National Capital Region Athletic Association opens Tuesday at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Ramirez, who was tapped to lead the government sports agency for the second time, will grace the opening of the collegiate tournament that has grown in numbers this year.
Now celebrating its silver season, the NCRAA will be parading a 16-school roster, both coming in the metropolis and provinces nearby.
Ramirez will grace the colorful opening ceremony beginning at 10 a.m.
He will be welcomed by league officials, headed by Buddy Encarnado, a long-time basketball figure head of the Sta. Lucia Realtors both in the PBA and the old PABL and former Crispa Redmanizer Bai Cristobal. This season’s President is Juan Nolasco III.
Encarnado will be the league’s new general manager, while Cristobal has been tapped to become commissioner anew.
Sta. Lucia Land will be coming in as title sponsor of the tournament with LGR Sportswear as the official outfitter.
On opening day, newcomer teams AMA Computer College and University of Luzon will immediately get their baptism of fire taking on separate foes.
Rich in experience competing in commercial leagues, AMA Computer, which will be handled by Mark Herrera, will field in a formidable roster, headed by player/actor Andre Paras.
The son of PBA great Benjie Paras is expected to become the face of the league, while also trying to lead the Titans in coming up with a great first impression starting today’s main game at 2 p.m. against the Philippine Merchant Maritime School.
Another newbie is University of Luzon, which will test its mettle against powerhouse Asian Institute of Maritime Studies and University of Luzon at 12 noon.
The Golden Tigers of University of Luzon will travel all the way from Dagupan City to face the Blue Sharks, who are just a stone’s throw away from the venue.
All 16 teams in the Sta. Lucia Land-NCRAA will be divided into two groups.
AIMS and UL will be in Group A together with De Ocampo Memorial College, Olivarez College, Philippine School of Business Administration-Quezon City, Saint Francis of Assisi College, Technological Institute of the Philippines and New Era University, while AMA and PMMS are in Group B along with De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, Emilio Aguinaldo College-Cavite, National College of Business and Arts, PATTS College of Aeronautics, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa and University of Makati.
The teams will play a single round among themselves for seven games each with the top four in each group advancing to the knockout crossover quarterfinals. Both the semifinal and championship series will be best-of-three affairs.
