La Salle opens defense of D-League title vs CEU

DE LA Salle-EcoOil begins its titleretention bid against Centro Escolar University as the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup comes off the wraps on Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

The meet marks the first official coaching job for Topex Robinson as new coach of the Green Archers, who won last year’s edition of the tournament by beating Marinerong Pilipino in the deciding Game 3 of the finals, 91-78.

Marinerong Pilipino has tied-up with San Beda Red Lions this time and will be one of the seven competing teams this season together with defending NCAA men’s basketball champion Wang’s Basketball-Letran, AMA Online, Perpetual Help University, and the Philippine Sports Performance Fitness gym. The La Salle-EcoOil-CEU en- counter serves as the main game on opening day at 4 p.m., just after the Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda versus Philippine Sports Performance Fitness gym game set at 2 p.m.

“Not just La Salle, San Beda, and Letran because the other collegiate teams are also beefing up their lineups,” said PBA Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

“Magaganda ang games natin because it’s the team’s way of developing their players in preparation for their respective mother leagues.”

All games will be shown live on One Sports and PBA Rush, and to be played at Ynares Pasig and FilOil-EcoOil Centre every Tuesday and Thursday.

All seven teams will play a single round robin, with the top two advancing outright in the semis.

The third and fourth teams meanwhile, enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage against the fifth and sixth teams in a crossover quarterfinals phase. Both semis and finals are best-ofthree series.

Castro also announced in the same forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, MILO, Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) the DLeague will only have one conference this year and in 2024.

“For now, based sa calendar natin entering the 48th season with two conferences of the PBA, we’ll have one D-League conference by 2024,” he said.

President Marcos’s vow excited POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who conceived the House of POC in early 2022, but couldn’t get government’s commitment.

“With the President himself promising his support, particularly on the POC office, we can now say that the House of POC would no longer be a dream,” Tolentino said. “It will sooner or later be a reality with the promise of our President.”

Tolentino wanted the permanent POC headquarters not only to house the organization’s staff but also include a museum and a multi-purpose hall.

He picked the CCP Complex as the most ideal location because of the government and private-sector landmarks and offices, proximity to the airport, hotels and entertainment facilities as well as the consistent congregation of people in the area who could be visiting the museum.