La Salle heads Dickies Women’s Cup cast

Games tomorrow (CEU Lumera Tower, Legarda)

9 a.m. – La Salle vs UST

10: 30 a.m. – FEU vs CEU

12:30 p.m. – Benilde vs Fatima

MANILA, Philippines - The Pilipinas Chinese Amateur Basketball League (PCABL) Dickies Women’s Cup fires off tomorrow with reigning UAAP champion La Salle tipped as the team to beat in the third staging of the event at the CEU Lumera Tower gym in Legarda, Manila.

Led by Ara Abaca, Trisha Piatos and Inna Corcuera, the Lady Archers outlasted the National University Lady Bulldogs, 2-1, in their best-of-three title series last year to snap an 11-year title drought.

La Salle opens its title bid against University of Santo Tomas at 9 a.m. with the ladies of coach Tyrone Bautista out to stamp their class early in the six-team league presented by Dickies.

Other matches pit many-time UAAP champion Far Eastern University against CEU at 10:30 a.m. while CSB, last year’s runner-up, collides with newcomer Fatima at 12:30 p.m.

Jose Atienza, CEO of American Star Apparel Phil., and Dody Arcaya, Dickies vice president for sales and marketing, are expected to grace the opening day of the event that lured six of the best collegiate teams in the land.

“Sponsoring this event is our own little way to help women’s basketball in the country,” said Atienza. “College players need more tournaments to build their confidence, so we hope they gain enough from this tournament.”

Other backers of the event are Smart Telecom, Jumbo Plastic Linoleum, Power House, CW Home Depot, Dickies Underwear and Hapee Toothpaste.

Despite the absence of defending champion Adamson and National University, La Salle sees its sister team, College of St. Benilde, and the vastly-improving Centro Escolar University as the biggest stumbling blocks in their title bid.

Tournament format calls for a double-round elims with the top two teams advancing to the one-game final.