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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Collegiate devider Mapua launches title defense bid as NCAA Season 101 fires off at Big Dome

Mapua launches title defense bid as NCAA Season 101 fires off at Big Dome

Published Sep 30, 2025 03:11 pm

At A Glance

  • Reigning champion Mapua University launches its title retention bid when it faces Lyceum of the Philippines University on the opening day of the NCAA Season 101 men's basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday, Oct. 1.
(NCAA/File)
(NCAA/File)
Reigning champion Mapua University launches its title retention bid when it faces Lyceum of the Philippines University on the opening day of the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday, Oct. 1.
The top four squads from the centennial season open the hostilities with the Cardinals battling host school Lyceum Pirates at 2:30 p.m.
The opening ceremony, which promises to be an exciting experience for all, kicks off at 12 noon, before the College of St. Benilde tangles with the San Beda Red Lions to wrap up the day at 5 p.m.
“Unang araw pa lang giyera, labanan kaagad ng top four teams from last season,” said Jose Rizal University athletic director Paul Supan during Tuesday’s PSA Forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.
“Talagang pinaghandaan ‘yong opening ceremony bukas sa Araneta… may mga suprise numbers din… it’s going to be exciting, we can assure of that,” added EAC vice president for administration Dr. Lorenzo Lorenzo.
Opting to skip PBA Draft last month, star guard Clint Escamis goes for a final push to give Mapua another shot at glory with a supporting cast composed of Cyrus Nitura, Cyril Gonzales, and Marc Cyrus Cuenco for the Randy Alcantara-mentored group.
Every game will count for each school -- a total of 13 matches per squad -- with only the top three teams from the two brackets advancing to the quarterfinals and the twice-to-beat bonuses given to the No. 1 and 2 schools.
Both semifinals and finals are in the best-of-three format.
Olympic events to become demo sports in this year’s NCAA
Aside from implementing a new format for its basketball and volleyball tournaments, the grand old league is adding up Olympic sports in golf, gymnastics, boxing, and weightlifting next semester.
These metal-rich disciplines are listed as demo sports in partnership with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and coordination with respective National Sports Associations (NSAs) to strengthen the initiative and further boost the grassroots programs here in the country.
“So this would be in partnership with PSC, especially, kinausap kami ni chairman Pato [Gregorio], and excited sya na tulungan natin, in terms of training and development of these athletes… Grassroots development,” Lorenzo continued.
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