Roll the carpets for ABA’s 9th season opening

Games today, July 13, at XUHS Pueblo covered courts: 6:45 pm— court 1 2000 vs 2001 court 2 IAM 98 vs 2002 8:15 pm—court 1 2003 vs 2007 court 2 1996 vs 1995

REIGNING champions Sprockets 95 and XUHS 2001 start defending their titles as the 9th season of the Xavier University High School Alumni Basketball Association (XUHS-ABA) League opens here tonight at XUHS Pueblo covered courts.

In the curtain raiser game at 6:45 pm in court 1, the defending St. Peter Faber Cup champion 001ers will take the floor against Alumni 2000.

The 001ers snatched their first ever title after defeating Gamba 97 in their best-of-three final showdown last season and is optimistic in their quest for another championship crown.

This, as the IAM 98-the first ABA runner-up after yielding to the 99ers nine seasons ago--will try to redeem lost ground wrought by a nightmarish finish in the Faber Cup elimination’s 8th season.

IAM 98 almost did not make it this season, but finally beat the deadline for the exciting ABA wars.

They will go against the younger XUHS 2002 in court two.

Defending St. Francis Xavier titlist Sprockets 95, on the other hand, will take on XUHS 1996 of Elich Alfante at 8:15 pm in court two.

Towering centerforward Paul “Shantao” Moreno and sweet-shooting guard Jan-Jan Geroy will still be around to lead the Sprockets.

The Wolves 2007 are out for revenge after losing the crown to the Jammers 2005 in the decisive game three of the St. Ignatius de Loyola Cup final.

They will tangle with Batch 2003 at 8:15 pm in court 1.

“Another exciting season begins and we could only wish good luck all of the participating teams,”said Dhon Lazo, the undisputed commissioner of the XUHS-ABA league.