A+EBA 2016 Corporate Cup kicks off today

CEBU, Philippines - Six teams will slug it out for the coveted championship trophy as the Architects+Engineers Basketball Association 2016 Corporate Cup gets underway today at the Chiang Kai Shek gym of Cebu Eastern College.

Before the hardcourt hostilities, a simple opening ceremony will take place at 8:30 am. Aside from the traditional parade of athletes, the other highlight of the affair is the selection of best muse.

A+EBA President Paolo Alberto said during the formal launching of the tournament the other night at Handuraw Pizza and Resto Bar along Gorordo Avenue that all players must be present at the opening. Those who are absent will be slapped with a one-game suspension unless they have a valid reason.

Led by defending champion Megabond manned by civil engineers, the other contenders of the four-month joust that will run until December are Davies Paints, composed of players from United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)-Cebu Chapter, Phoenix Building Systems (master plumbers and architects), Sea Olympus (UAP Lapu-Lapu Chapter) and Fenestram Fabricators Co. and Dormakaba, both manned by mechanical engineers.

They will play in a double round robin format under the barangayan system wherein all team members are given a chance to play. The top four after the classification stage will advance into the crossover semifinals, with the No.1 and No.2 enjoying twice-to-beat  advantage against No.4 and No.3,  respectively.

The winners will then clash for the title in a best-of-three series.

League vice president for operations Josephril Partosa said stricter rules will be enforced this time.

For one, all teams are required to have 10 players per game day. The team with less than the minimum required players after the third quarter of play will automatically award the opposing team five points at the start of the fourth period.

In case both teams have less than the minimum, the team with lesser players will incur the penalty.

All players are also required to play at least 50 percent in the regular scheduled games. Players with less than 50 percent attendance cannot play in the playoffs and will be suspended in the 3rd Davies Paints Cup scheduled in February 2017.  (FREEMAN)