THE 2016 SBP Passerelle Basketball Tournament kicks off today at the Magis Eagles Arena at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu in Canduman, Mandaue City.
The Small Basketeers of the Philippines division will be led by defending champions University of the Visayas (UV), which will have to fend off the likes of Ateneo de Cebu, Don Bosco, University of San Carlos (USC), Ateneo de Cebu B and newcomer, Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma, whose squad will be coached by SWU Cobras assistant Rafael Alcoseba.
The Passerelle class will have reigning title holder Ateneo de Cebu which will have to battle perennial contenders UV and USC along with the University of Southern Philippines Foundation, Don Bosco, SWU and the debuting Abellana National School, which is playing under the outreach program of the BEST Center.
Teams will play a single round-robin with the top four advancing to the knockout semis. The championship and third place games will also be winner-take-all affairs.