A product of community-based basketball tournaments, former PBA superstar Dondon Hontiveros believes that these types of leagues should continue as it helps in the development of players.
The statement of Hontiveros came after the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) approved the formation of a new league Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup, which aims to continue the progress of players from the Visayas and Mindanao regions.
“I was a product of community-based basketball more than 20 years ago,” Hontiveros said, who had an illustrious pro career that started in the now-defunct MBA before he transferred to the PBA for almost two decades.
“It was an introduction for me to be known and gave me the opportunity to earn. Nobody knew me until I played in a regional league that gave me the chance to prove myself and the rest is history.”
Hontiveros, now a city councilor in Cebu City, has been tabbed as ambassador for Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup, which is set to start in a tournament bubble in Cebu City on April 9.
GAB Chairman Baham Mitra and commissioner Eduard Trinidad announced the approval of the GAB license for the league where the initial 12 teams – six each from the Visayas and Mindanao – and their players will see action in this year’s inaugural tournament.
Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup chief operating officer Rocky Chan said the six teams from the Visayas will play in a double-round robin elimination format where the champion faces the winner from Mindanao.
Chan said the Mindanao bubble would start in May in Zamboanga City, after which the champions from both regions will clash in a best-of-three titular showdown.
“This is a historic day for the league. We’re not here to compete with other leagues. We are here to help create jobs and opportunities for players, coaches, utilities and people who are involved in the sport,’’ said Chan.
Teams from Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City in Cebu have already formalized their participation, as well as teams from Eastern Samar and two more from the Visayas with MDC, a Filipino-manufactured indoor ball for the sport, as the official ball of the league and Solar Sports as television partner.
Zamboanga City, Pagadian City, Roxas and Sindangan in Zamboanga del Norte will represent Mindanao along with two additional ballclubs in the region.
According to Chan, it will be mandatory for each team to hire six homegrown players, three of them must come from the city that the team represents while the other three should come from the Visayas and Mindanao regions.