Defending champion St. Clare College-Caloocan opens its bid for an unprecedented third straight title when it takes on Enderun Colleges at the start of the 18th National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities basketball tournament today at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Game time is 12 noon after the 10:30 am. opening ceremony with Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, Bureau of Correction head Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Melvin Contapay of the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa as special guests.
NAASCU founding president Dr. Ernesto Jay Adalem of St. Clare College-Caloocan will deliver the welcome remarks, while NAASCU president Dr. Martha Beata Ijiran of Philippine Christian University will make the formal declaration of the opening.
A total of 15 teams divided into two groups are seeing action in the tournament with St. Clare and last year’s runner-up De Ocampo Memorial College leading their respective groups.
To be handled anew by multi-titled coach Jino Manansala, St. Clare remained confident about its chances despite losing two-time MVP Aris Dionisio and six other key players of last year’s champion team.
Leading the charge for the Caloocan City-based Saints are import Mohamed Pare, Irven Palencia and Junjie Hallare and rookies Joshua Fontanilla, Joseph Peñaredondo and Aeron Decano.
Other opening-day hostilities will pit PCU against New Era University at 8 a.m.; 2016 runner-up Our Lady of Fatima University against City University of Pasay at 2 p.m. and De Ocampo against De La Salle-Araneta University at 4 p.m.
A colorful opening ceremony highlighted by the traditional parade of teams will usher in the 18th season of the league.
Go will talk about sports and the youth, De la Rosa will discuss sports against drugs and Contapay will expound on sports and the future in their inspirational remarks.
Dr. Adalem will also administer the Oath of NAASCU to the Board of Trustees, while Dr. Ijiran will also introduce the guest speakers.
SAP Go, Gen. De la Rosa and Contapay will also participate in the formal awarding of the overall champion, as well as in the announcement of the Ms. NAASCU 2018.
Michael de la Cruz of the Enderun Colleges will lead in the Oath of Sportsmanship.
The De la Salle-Araneta University Chorale will lead the singing of the national anthem, while the La Salle Force will perform a special intermission number.