ILOILO City – Fourteen teams are competing in the 1st Iloilo Youth Basketball League (IYBL) that kicks off today at the St. Robert’s International Academy Covered Gym here.
According to tournament commissioner Ronnie Degala, the participating teams are bracketed into two and each bracket will play under a round robin system.
“The top two teams from each bracket will advance to the crossover semifinals. The winner of that match will battle in the championship game,” Degala said.
Bracket A will have Jalandoni Memorial National High School Panthers, Rooks, Hunters A, Westbridge Voyagers, Team Pototan, KD SBB Scorpions, and St. John Institute.
Bracket B, meanwhile, has Bacolod Tay Tung High School, Hunters B, Bolilao, Stoneford, Toto Tia Ten/XYZ, Bingbong Conlu Basketball Center, and Conce Crita Villa.
Degala said the event aims to provide an avenue for aspiring ballers to showcase their talents, as well as to help the youth in character building while developing their basketball skills.
“We look forward that through this tournament with the help of media partner, a player or two will be discovered and given the opportunity to study free while being a student athlete,” Degala said.
Eugene Chua of Elite Lab, one of IYBL partners along with St. Robert’s International Academy, said he sees the tournament as a breeding ground for future basketball stars.
“We partnered with Mr. Ronnie Degala because nakita ko na ito ang right venue to discover our young talents,””said Chua.
“After two years na tigil ang basketball, ang mga kabataan ang tunay na naapektuhan ng pandemya so with this IYBL, I’m sure mapagpapatuloy natin ang sports development ng kabataan,” he added./PN
