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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Nagoya joins Pinoyliga Global Invt'l

Nagoya joins Pinoyliga Global Invt'l

Published Mar 25, 2025 06:43 am

At A Glance

  • "We're hopeful that this is the start of many more Global Invitational tournaments, with more teams joining like of course Japan (again next year), Korea, Taiwan, U.S., Australia and New Zealand," Benitez added.

Pinoyliga adds foreign flavor to an already potent field as it announced the staging of the 2025 Global Invitational Cup.

22d20d41-96b5-4ee1-bdb9-378b0593a82a.jpg
Pinoyliga Cup tournament director Benny Benitez, second from left, formally welcomes the Nagoya Gakuin University basketball teams led by its head coach Hideki Takenoshita as well as men’s team captain Hayate Mitsuhashi and women’s team captain Rika Uenohara for the Global Invitational Cup during a media briefing at the Games Ville Sports Bar in Mandaluyong City. (Pinoyliga Photo)

Nagoya Gakuin, a private university in Japan, is expected to spice up the competition composed of five men's and five women's teams.

Tournament director Benny Benitez said this is the start of something bigger for the collegiate basketball scene here in the country.

“It’s a dream come true for Pinoyliga Cup to finally have a tournament with international flavor. We’re very happy they accepted our invitation to play in the Global Invitational Cup,” said Benitez in a media briefing Monday night, March 24, at the Games Ville Sports Bar in Mandaluyong City.

Just like the original Pinoyliga which started with only five teams in its inauguration then blossomed to more than 10 squads, Benitez aims to invite more schools and possibly international teams to join the competition.

“We’re hopeful that this is the start of many more Global Invitational tournaments, with more teams joining like of course Japan (again next year), Korea, Taiwan, U.S., Australia and New Zealand,” Benitez added.

Aside from Nagoya, Fil-Am Nation also took part in the men’s side alongside Emilio Aguinaldo College, University of Santo Tomas, and University of the East.

In the distaff side, Women Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) All-Stars banner the group against UST, University of the Philippines, Ateneo, and Nagoya.

“What we want to do is to expand not just domestically, but globally. Kasi, one thing that we don’t have here is a destination for the collegiate stage,” Benitez continued. 

“Bakit hindi nating gawin na pumunta naman sila [mga foreign schools] dito para mag-compete? The goal dito is ‘yong mga foreign schools pumunta dito.”

Nagoya men’s team already played its first game earlier against UST lair in Manila and set for a grueling three straight games before facing UE on Saturday.

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