A new basketball league in Quezon City, the largest city in Metro Manila in terms of population and land area, will rise soon.
To be known as the Quezon City Basketball League, the cage league aims to develop a complete basketball program for the growing youth population and unveil a new generation of competitive basketball players in the city named after former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon.
BJ Manalo, Former La Salle Green Archer and team manager of the Globalport team in the Philippine Basketball Association, will head the direction of the QCBL as executive director.
Manalo, who also held sports management positions in several colleges and universities, said that established teams and corporate firms with business headquarters in the city have already been invited to participate in the league that will open on Nov. 10 at its homecourt, JCR Gym of the FEU-NRMF in Fairview.
The QCBL will be ushered in by Corporate Cup Conference with three divisions on tap, namely the Open, Cadet and Starter.
“What makes this team league special is that our participating teams and our management team will jointly conduct free basketball clinics for kids in different barangays. We are getting them ready for the city-wide QCBL 3×3 and 5×5 tournaments. This also serves as our Corporate Social Responsibility,” said Manalo, who has earned the backing of several basketball patrons and corporate teams.
The Open Division is open to corporate teams that will be allowed to have maximum number of 20 players, with one import or foreign player in the line-up. Players must be 18-years-old and above but they should not be currently playing in the PBA or the Asean Basketball League.
The Cadet Division is a notch lower with the teams having a maximum of 20 players each but must have no experience playing in the pro leagues like the PBA, ABL, D-League, Maharlika league and the National Basketball League.
Former colleague players from ivy league likes the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines should have had their last playing year in 2010.
The Starter Division will have 20 maximum players in a team. Should have no foreign player and former pro leaguers and only two players with a maximum height of 6 foot, 2 inches are allowed.
Corporate teams outside Quezon City are welcomed to join. For more details, contact coach Oliver Bunyi at 0917-5226385. Or send message to Quezon City Basketball League facebook page.