NINE high school basketball teams are set to compete in the 3rd Season of Bingawan’s Foundation Cup – National Preseason High School Basketball Premier Tournament slated from June 7 to July 7 at the Bingawan Civic Center in Bingawan, Iloilo.
Defending champion Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix will be bannering the teams along with last year’s runner-up St. Robert’s International Academy Panda Rockets.
Also participating are Hercor College Junior Jaguars, Sta. Clarita International School Primes, CenterPhil Montessori Silver Knights, Assumption School-Passi City Golden Doves, Bingawan National High School, PAREF-Westbridge School and Mary Immaculate Academy Saints.
Majority of the teams will be parading a new-look lineup following the departure of several key players who were recruited to play in Manila-based schools.
Junior Jaguars will be dealing with the absence of Raffy Arguelles and Jamwell Famaranco, who moved to De La Salle Greenhills Greenies and Jose Rizal University Light Bombers, respectively, while Primes will be without Franc Steven Tono and Jemar Cepriano, who moved to Letran Squires.
Red Phoenix will still have an intact lineup with Reynold Tupas and Jann Paolo Villariza opting to stay with the school for another year, so as gunner Lester Valn Paraico staying put at SilverKnights.
The nine teams will be divided into two bracket with one group having five teams, while the other having four. After the single-round robin, where the top teams per bracket will move to semifinals while second and third will face in crossover quarterfinals.
“We have decided to do the Bingawan Foundation Cup again this year following the success of the first two seasons,” said Bingawan Mayor Mark Plagata Palabrica. “The tournament aims to give exposure to the high school players through competitive basketball.”
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Bacolod City emerged as one of the winners of the 4th Pioneer National Bangkarera recently at the St. Francis, Ocean Park and Baywalk in Naga City, Cebu.
The Bacolodnons stamped its class in the 7-horse power category even as Team Nino of Capiz won the Paddle Boat Division. Team Pirata reclaimed the title in the 16-horsepower category while Cebuanos clinched the Angat sa Dagat crown.
The biggest boat-racing event in the country was held in cooperation with Angat sa Dagat Organization, aims to promote camaraderie among the fisherfolk, boat-racing aficionados and the community.
The bangkarera started four years ago in Puerto Princesa, with over a hundred participants from 27 teams and 60 boats. The following year in 2017 in Dumaguete City, the roster of participants grew to 40 teams and 96 boats and in Iloilo City last year, 58 teams and 155 boats.
This season, 150 boats and 36 teams joined—still a high number—which is a proof of its staying power and necessity in the boating community./PN
