CABC introduces age-balanced team format in year’s final conference
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 4th Cebu Architects Basketball Club (CABC) Boysen Cup 2026 is introducing a new team formation scheme that will bring players from different age groups together, promoting camaraderie between younger and older players in the basketball tournament.
CABC top honchos Oliver Tan and Paolo Alberto said the new format was designed to make the league more enjoyable while allowing players from different generations to get to know one another on and off the court.
CABC new scheme
Under CABCs new scheme, each team’s starting five will be composed of players representing five age brackets: 20–25, 26–30, 31–35, 36–40, and 41 years old and above.
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Only one player from each age bracket will be allowed on the court at a time, ensuring a balanced mix of younger and older players regardless of their positions.
The age-based formation applies only to the starting five, with the remaining players to be selected through a draft.
“First ni mahitabo para mas makusgan pa among bonding sa liga ang mga bata maka ila-ila pud nila ang mga older players,” said Alberto.
(This is the first time we are strengthening the bond in the league where the young ones can get to know the older players.)
Tan explained that the new format aims to strengthen the league’s bonding atmosphere by allowing younger players to interact and build friendships with their older counterparts.
“Dili pud pwede nga older age brackets nga 40-above or 40-below duha ka divisions kay kuwang pa man ang players makaporma ug teams. Maybe in the future duha na among divisions,” Tan said.
(It’s also not possible to have two divisions for older age brackets like 40-above and 40-below because there aren’t enough players yet to form teams. Maybe in the future, we will have two divisions.)
The organizers also said the scheme was a practical solution to the limited number of participants, as dividing the competition into separate 40-and-under and over-40 divisions would be difficult to sustain.
They believe a combined age-group format would also help prevent younger players from having a significant advantage over older competitors.
The team formation process took longer than expected as organizers and participants had to verify the ages of players to ensure each team followed the prescribed brackets.
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Age verification
The tournament will also impose a documentary requirement in case of age-related complaints. Players whose ages are questioned must present their NSO birth certificates for verification.
Boysen regional area manager Miggy Aparri welcomed the new format, saying it would give players from different age groups and chapters a better opportunity to interact.
“Pasalamat ko nagkatapok balik ang tanan. Excited ko sa bag-ong format ug scheme sa team. Nindot siya kay magkailhanay ang lain-lain nga age group ug chapters,” Aparri said.
(I am thankful that everyone is gathered together again. I am excited about the team’s new format and scheme. It is great because the different age groups and chapters will get to know one another.)
He added that the new scheme would make team formation more balanced, unlike in previous editions when players were often drafted based on personal friendships.
The oldest participant is 64 years old, highlighting CABC’s effort to bring players of different generations together, while the youngest player’s age was not specified.
CABC 4th Boysen Cup
The 4th Boysen Cup marks the third conference of the year for the CABC.
The tournament will feature a single-round-robin elimination format, followed by knockout games in the succeeding rounds. The top two teams will advance to the semifinals, while the teams ranked fourth to sixth will figure in crossover quarterfinals, with each game played in a knockout format.
For the first time in two years, the tournament will move to a new venue, the Benedicto College gymnasium near Robinsons Galleria Cebu, after previously being held at Game Changer.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m., highlighted by the parade of muses.
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