YOUTH SPORTS Perlas ng Silangan Basketball League officials grace the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Tuesday (June 11, 2024). The league will kick off on July 24 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. PSA PHOTO
The Perlas ng Silangan Basketball League, which is purely a development tournament, will kick off on July 24 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Competitions are in the Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 categories.
“This is a new developmental league that will cover at least seven regions. What makes this tournament different is that we will approach the youth. We will create a platform and reach out to everyone,” league founder Christian Ensomo said Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Participating local government units are Bulacan, Caloocan, Quezon City, Manila, Paranaque and Taytay in Rizal.
The National Capital Region leg will be held at the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City and San Andres Gym in Manila, while there are plans to hold the competition in the Cordillera Region then Bicol, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.
“The top teams will head to the nationals by the end of the year. At stake are the bragging rights as the best in your region and the first-ever national champion for Perlas ng Silangan,” Ensomo said in the weekly session presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart/PLDT, MILO, and ArenaPlus, the leading sports entertainment gateway in the country.
“This is purely and strictly developmental for players who have not joined yet other commercial leagues,” he added.
Also present were league co-founder Nato Agbayani and consultant Rudolfo Aquino.
“Our advocacy is youth development, the life skills of the young players,” said Agbayani, who announced that former PBA star Rodney Santos will serve as league commissioner. PNA