CYBL March Madness 2024 unfolds on Saturday

One of the CYBL games played in 2023. | CYBL photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL) kicks off tomorrow, March 16, at the old Sacred Heart School gymnasium along Mango Avenue.

A total of 132 teams will compete across five age groups in this long-standing league.

Considered one of Cebu’s premier and most comprehensive grassroots-level basketball tournaments, the CYBL will highlight its opening ceremony with 15 action-packed games.

There’s more at stake for this season of the CYBL after lead organizer Popoy Navarro, the son of the late Rico Navarro, the tournament’s founder, announced that they’ve partnered with the Chairman’s Cup Philippines Tournament.

This means that the winning under-17 team will represent Cebu for the Chairman’s Cup Philippines, marking the first time in CYBL’s history since its founding in 2007.

Dubbed the “CYBL March Madness 2024,” Navarro assured all the participants that everything is set for tomorrow’s opening ceremony at 11 a.m.

After the opening ceremony, 15 games will be played, spanning the 13-under, 17-under, and 15-under divisions.

The CYBL will also include competitions in the 18-under and 20-under divisions.

Some of the most notable teams vying for this CYBL season include Ronbucz Basketball, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF), Skills, TJAV, University of San Carlos (USC), Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC), University of San Jose-Recoletos, Cebu Elite, OCCCI Sheermasters, and Miguel Aloysius.

One significant change to be implemented this season is the “No Zone Rule,” advocated by former PBA Coaches Juno Sauler (Magnolia) and Norman Black (Meralco), aiming to encourage youngsters to play man-to-man defense instead of zone defense, aligning with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ (SBP) grassroots program.

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