The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced that basketball and volleyball will be returning in Season 97 after being on hold for two seasons. This was announced today, Mar. 19, at a press conference at GMA Studios in Quezon City.
The press conference also introduced the season’s courtside reporters and gave mainstream media the opportunity to lay down questions and clarifications for the upcoming season.
NCAA host Martin Javier gave the guests a warm welcome to the first physical conference since the start of COVID-19, noting that press conferences were held online via Zoom to address the reporters’ need for information on the season. Moreover, Javier introduced everyone to the Season 97 Managing Committee, spearheaded by the current Chairman and Benilde’s own Manuel “Dax” Castellano, Jr. as the College hosts the upcoming season. NCAA colleges’ basketball head coaches were also present in the conference via Zoom to answer queries from the press.
Warm welcomes from behind the scenes
Benilde President Br. Edmundo “Dodo” Fernandez, FSC presented his gratitude to the guests of the conference through a recorded message, “Whatever our minds can conceive, we can truly achieve when we do it together. Lasallians call it ‘communion in mission.’ Buo ang puso differentiates world-class athletes, such as Hidilyn Diaz from the rest. At paano mabubuo ang puso? Lasallians pray, ‘Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!’”
GMA Network Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon also expressed his warm welcome to the conference via a pre-recorded video and stated his excitement of showcasing the NCAA as the network’s first sports coverage. “We also would like to extend our warm welcome to the hardworking student-athletes and wish them well in all their competitions. As home to the country’s first athletic league, GMA Network fully supports the NCAA in showcasing their world-class athletes,” Mr. Gozon stated.
GMA Regional TV and Synergy First Vice President and Head Oliver Victor Amoroso shared his gratitude to everyone in the conference for the excitement and commitment student-athletes have solidified through their bubble training for the upcoming season, “For sure, viewers will be very excited for Season 97 with the return of the face-to-face physical games. We’ve already seen the athletes on bubble training at nakita natin ‘yung commitment and passion nila to return inside the court and to be seen by a wider audience through GMA and GTV.” He also mentioned that the network’s reach is the widest in the country on television and online, while it also caters to Filipinos abroad. Amoroso boasted Season 97 as an “all-Filipino tournament” since it does not have imports, “Dito makikita ang mga atleta who are not just from Manila, but from different parts of the Philippines as well. That’s what makes this season different,” he shared.
Looking forward to Season 97
The media were given the opportunity to clarify the plans the NCAA made for the upcoming season to GMA, NCAA’s Managing Committee, and the basketball team head coaches. Managing Committee Chairman Castellano noted that the basketball games will follow a single round-robin format with a play-in tournament for the elimination round. The top two teams of the elimination will advance to the semifinals while the third and fourth placers will compete for the third seed. Meanwhile, the losing team of the third seed game will battle with the winner of the fifth and sixth placers to determine the fourth seed. From there, the Final Four format will be played.
Castellano shared in the press conference that the play-in tournament was “to make it more exciting and to give our teams seeded five and six a chance to play in the semifinals.” Castellano said, emphasizing that volleyball will be following the same format.
In hopes of allowing supporters to watch the games live during Season 97, Mr. Castellano said that the NCAA eyes on holding its tournaments at three arenas: the Mall of Asia Arena (MOA) in Pasay City, the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, and the Filoil Arena in San Juan City. In the meantime, the league will be holding basketball and volleyball games at La Salle Greenhills (LSGH) in Mandaluyong City.
In an interview with The Benildean, Mr. Castellano amplified the NCAA’s preparations as the sports community anticipated the league’s return, “So expect a very exciting and competitive season this year.” Moreover, Mr. Castellano invites everyone to “enjoy [the] live games and be able to see our student-athletes again and cheer for them.” He mentioned that Season 97 is an opportunity for the NCAA community and the Benildean crowd to support this league’s sets of players, “Ito rin ‘yung time na we can be very proud of our school again.”
NCAA Season 97, hosted by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), will have its opening ceremonies on Mar. 26 at 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted on GMA and GTV.
Watch the Benilde Blazers’ first game against the Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Knights on the same day at 3:30 p.m.
