NCAA Season 93 kicks off
Lions vs Stags, Chiefs meet Cardinals in Day 1 action
THE country’s longest-standing collegiate league is back as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) begins Season 93 tomorrow at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Hosted this year by the San Sebastian College-Recoletos de Manila, the new season will have the theme “NCAA Strong @ Season 93” in line with the league’s goal to be “bigger, bolder and stronger” as it approaches a century of championing collegiate sporting excellence.
NCAA Season 93 proceedings commence with the basketball tournament with defending champions San Beda College Red Lions taking on hosts San Sebastian Stags in the opening game at 2 p.m. Following it is the clash between last year’s runners- up Arellano University Chiefs and the Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals at 4 p.m.
The games follow the opening ceremonies scheduled for 12 noon.
A noted feature of the basketball tournament this season is the holding of the “NCAA on Tour” that will have with some games played in the premises of member schools. Organizers said the reason behind it is to bring the league closer to its various stakeholders, particularly the students, and to further enhance interest in the league among them.
FAVORITE ANEW
Coming off an impressive showing in the preseason, San Beda is once again installed as tournament favorite anew, something it expressed readiness to embrace but recognized as well as needing much work from its end.
“We’re in for a tough season because our opponents have gotten better. It will be tough for me as well since I’m coming back. I’ve not seen a lot of our opponents yet save for the FilOil pre- season tournament but based from the other NCAA teams’ performance there league parity this season would very good,” said San Beda’s comebacking NCAA coach Boyet Fernandez.
“The goal for San Beda is always to win the championship. But it would not be given to us of course and we have to work for it as every team this season has improved. I admire all the coaches that I’m competing against and looking forward to a competitive season,” added the San Beda coach, who took over the reins with the departure of erstwhile coach Jamike Jarin.
For their opening game against rival San Sebastian, Mr. Fernandez said they are expecting no less than a tough challenge as has been the case each time the two teams meet.
“We are expecting a tough challenge from San Sebastian. Coach Egay Macaraya has done a good job developing the team and they continue to grow,” said Mr. Fernandez, who shared that they will be banking on having an “intact core” to propel them in Season 93.
On the part of San Sebastian, playing the talent-laden Lions it said is a tall order at the onset but it would not stop it from competing.
“San Beda is a very talented team and we just have to compete. It has to start from our defense and take it from there,” Mr. Macaraya said.
For the other opening dayplaying teams Arellano and Mapua, they said they are using their season debuts to test the water but nonetheless out to get the win.
“For our first game we are going to keep it simple, we are just going to run our plays. We are using it to have our players get acclimatized with our system and build on it,” said Arellano coach Jerry Codiñera.
“On our part, it will be a challenging situation for us this season with some key players in the past not with us this year. But our players get to play this year and I hope it motivates them,” said Mapua assistant coach Ed Cordero, whose team will be sans some key cogs for Season 93, notably two- time league most valuable player Allwell Oraeme, who has decided to sit out this year.
NCAA Games will be broadcast live over S+ A and S+ A HD and via livestreaming on sports. abs-cbn.com.