By Adrian Stewart Co

After stops in Iloilo City and Palawan, the Chairman’s Cup grassroots basketball league is headed to Bacolod Tay Tung High School gym on July 16.

The Bacolod leg of the Chairman’s Cup, to be hosted by the United Negros Basketball League (UNBL) of Jun Ballesteros, will feature Under-17 and U-21 categories.

As of press time, already a total of 32 squads from the two divisions have expressed interest in joining the tournament that was started by Roberto Uy in Iloilo City in 2008.

“Before, kids from Negros, nagpupunta pa ng Iloilo just to play, so we at the UNBL thought that why not sa Bacolod na gawin ang liga so kids will not have to travel?” said UNBL treasurer Roger Montalbo.

TNT Tropang Giga guard Kib Montalbo, one of the products of grassroots basketball in Bacolod City, said he was glad that younger Negrenses will have an opportunity to showcase their talents in Chairman’s Cup.

“Basketball leagues in Bacolod City meant a lot to me. It helped me become who I am today, helping me boost my stock as a high school player kasi scouts watched it,” Kib said.

“I am encouraging players from Negros na magpakita ng best nila because you’ll never know who’s watching. Eventually, it may lead you to play at a higher level,” he added.

Aside from Kib, other Negrense players who were discovered while playing in local leagues here were Terrafirma Dyip guard John Paul Calvo and Ateneo Blue Eagles guard Samjosef Belangel.

When the Bacolod City leg of the Chairman’s Cup wraps up, a showdown among the top two finishers from the three legs is being planned.

Elite Lab teams of head coach John Guanco swept the two division titles in the Iloilo City leg with Conce Crita Villa and M&D Ros finished as runner-up in the U-17 and U-21, respectively.

LGU-Quezon topped the Palawan leg’s U-21 category with LGU-Narra finishing at second, while Team Yurich ruled the U-17 category with Team San Miguel as runner-up./ASC, WDJ