MANILA, Philippines — Pilipinas Super League (PSL) president Rocky Chan has reached out to the PBA for a possible collaboration and PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said the door is open. Chan, PSL head of basketball operations Leo Isaac, Marcial and Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua recently met to discuss areas where the PBA could assist in PSL’s development.
“ U-21 tournament ang PSL at magkakaroon ng U-18 at sa PBA naman, tuloy ang aming U12 Batang PBA kaya walang conflict,” said Marcial. “Nag-advise kami ni Governor Alfrancis ng board structure at development programs para sa referees.” There are 16 teams now playing in the PSL Dumper Cup – Davao Occidental, Pampanga Royce and Pampanga Giant Lanterns, Caloocan, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija, Manila, Bulacan, Bicol, ARS Warriors, Boracay, Cabuyao, Quezon City, Muntinlupa, San Juan and Cagayan de Oro with games held on a home-and-away basis.
PSL commissioner Marc Pingris said the league is a pathway for new talents to be discovered, breeding ground for hopefuls and platform for veterans to continue playing. Since PSL started as the Vis Min Cup last year and staged the Pearl of the Orient Cup, U21 Aspirants Cup and U21 National Championships, Pingris said it has sent 54 players to the NCAA and UAAP. “Ang focus ng liga ay makatulong,” he said. “Maraming magagaling sa probinsya na nahihiya mag-tryout sa Manila. Ganoon ako nagumpisa sa Pangasinan. Sa PSL sila makikita ng mga scouts at managers. Dati may limit mga ex-pros sa senior division. Ang balak namin ay magkaroon ng Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao legs tapos national finals.” Among the PBA veterans playing in the PSL Dumper Cup are JayJay Helterbrand, Mac Cardona, KG Canaleta, Paolo Hubalde, Mark Yee and John Wilson.
Chan said unlike MPBL and FilBasket, PSL is focused on regional and age-group basketball. “The pro tournament is just our cream product,” he said. “But our core is we promote the grassroots. Our youth tournaments are meant to inspire players to one day, join their kuyas in the pros.”