JB ABL Reloads, Unveils New Format In Upcoming School Wars

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

It’s that time of the year again for the Ilonggo hoopers.

After back-to-back successful seasons, the JB Amateur Basketball League (JB ABL) is set to stage the third installment of the well-loved School Wars basketball tournament, where returning and new schools will be testing the waters to duke it out for the coveted golden trophy.

According to JB ABL commissioner and founder Jayphet Balbacal, the School Wars Reloaded will have an exciting twist, and a part of it is a new and highly anticipated tournament format.

Initially, Mr. Balbacal said that he intended to create divisions I and II for the bracketing and seeding, but due to a series of events, the basketball savant finalized a “Public vs Private” format.

A total of 14 teams have already confirmed their participation in the upcoming JB ABL School Wars Reloaded, and what a coincidence that an equal 7-7 comprised the private and the public institutions.

“This is like a throwback kumbaga. Sang tyempo sang mga alumni ta, daw Integrated Meet where they met the finest players from the provinces. All part of the aimed nostalgic feeling sang aton School Wars Reloaded,” Balbacal said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Guardian.

However, Balbacal and the JB ABL committee are yet to finalize whether the Public vs Private format will carry over until the playoffs, specifically the crossover matchups.

Under the private schools list, the teams that already showed interest in joining are De Paul College of Iloilo, University of San Agustin High School, University of Iloilo High School, Colegio de San Jose, Angelicum School of Iloilo, Central Philippine University (CPU), and Sun Yat Sen.

Meanwhile, the confirmed teams under the public schools are La Paz National High School, University of the Philippines, Iloilo National High School, Iloilo City National High School, Mandurriao National High School, Ramon Avanceña National High School, and Oton National High School.

“Overwhelmed kita sa number of participating school subong, and every year we target to elevate and innovate, and dala na da ang pag incorporate ta sang public vs private. Hopefully, everything will be smoothed out,” added Mr. Balbacal.

Several Ilonggo elite hoopers will be gracing their alma mater, including Felino Arenal Jr., popularly known in the Iloilo basketball scene as “Pusoy”, Inno Miclat, Don Jeff Selguerra, Elvin Lencioco, Kins Go, Edward Alimen, Mark Hermano, and Paul Razel Rubin.