PBA Youngstars draws 133 teams

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 133 teams from all over the country, including 13 squads from Metro Manila, will vie in the provincial legs of the 2013 Coca-Cola PBA Youngstars which gets going April 20 in various venues.

Provincial eliminations are set in Pangasinan, Pampanga, Laoag, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga with 10 teams colliding in each province. The provincial leg champion will advance to the regional finals of the event for youngsters 13-16 years old on May 10-12.

Champion teams from Pangasinan, Pampanga and Laoag vie for the Northern Luzon crown, winners from Laguna, Cavite and Batangas slug it out for the Southern Luzon diadem, No. 1 squads from Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo fight for the Visayas plum and top teams from Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga battle for the Mindanao trophy.

The regional winners will then join two Metro Manila teams in the national finals set May 19-26.

The six national finalists will figure in a single-round-robin play with the top two making it to the finals.

Regional teams point persons are Danny Soria for Pangasinan/Pampanga, Perry Martinez and Matthew Manotoc for Laoag, Ranel Villadelrey for Cavite, Judd Cauntay for Batangas, Gherome Ejercito for Laguna, Yayoy Alcoseba for Cebu, Tony Agustin for Bacolod, David Recio for Iloilo and Pete Alfaro for Mindanao.

The regional finals will be played in Pampanga for Northern Luzon, Batangas for Southern Tagalog, Davao for Mindanao and either Cebu or Iloilo for the Visayas.

Taytay topped the inaugural Coca-Cola PBA Youngstars behind a team featuring mainstays of the San Beda team.