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| (Image Source: SPIN.ph/Pinoyliga) |
Pinoyliga has officially launched ‘The Big Dance’ tournament featuring the country’s top school hoop programs and kicked off last July 30, 2024 at the Enderun Colleges gym in Taguig City. A first in Philippine basketball for the collegiate sports organization led by its founder Benny Benitez, teams from the UAAP, NCAA, CESAFI, NAASCU, ISAA, NCRAA and NCAA South are competing in a tournament format similar to US NCAA's March Madness with Russell Raypon serving as tournament commissioner.
According to Benitez, the tournament will complete the Philippine collegiate scene with a national championship – the same with the Palarong Pambansa and the NBTC (National Basketball Training Center) National Finals for high school. “Parang may kulang para makumpleto ang Philippine collegiate landscape. That’s the concept and rationale behind The Big Dance,” said Benitez during the event launch recently held at the Amelie Hotel in Manila. After the teams were ranked for almost two months based on their performances in their respective collegiate sports leagues as well as in various pre-season and post-season tournaments and invitationals, a total of 28 teams were selected. Originally, it was supposed to be 32 but conflict in schedules particularly with several UAAP teams forced organizers to trim down the number to its current number. One case in point is UAAP champion De La Salle University which is set to compete as the country’s representative in the World University Basketball Series in Japan slated to be held throughout the duration of the tournament.
Letran College, Adamson University, De La Salle College of St. Benilde and NCAA reigning champion San Beda University headline the 28-team cast as the Top Four seeds with a bye in the first round. Other teams participating in the inaugural season of The Big Dance include Mapua University, Our Lady of Fatima University, Manila Central University, Centro Escolar University, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, Guang Ming College, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Lyceum of the Philippines University, St. Clare College, and Diliman College. Completing the cast are University of Cebu, Jose Rizal University, Immaculada Concepcion College, Olivarez, College, San Sebastian College, Asian Institute of Maritime Studies, San Pablo College, Philippine Christian University Dasmariñas Cavite, St. Dominic College of Asia, University of Perpetual Help Binan, University of Batagas, New Era University and Manuel L. Quezon University.
The round of 32 games and Sweet 16 matches will be played from now until August 16 at the Enderun Colleges gym in Taguig City while the Elite Eight and Final Four will be at the Amoranto Arena in Quezon City. The national title game will either be at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, the PhilSports Complex or the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on August 18. Sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), The Big Dance will introduce a perpetual trophy worth Php200,000 and made by renowned artist Cameron Castrillo for the champion. The trophy will be kept by the same winner next year or passed on to the next champion. The team that wins it three straight seasons will keep the hardware for good.
