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TWO of the best collegiate teams in the region will
arrive Thursday in Cebu City to see action in the 6th Asian
University Basketball Championship (AUBC) slated July 5 to 10.
Huaquiao University of China and
Hanyang University of South Korea will be joining four local teams
in the six-day tournament organized by the Asian University
Basketball Federation (AUBF).
This will be Huaqiao
University’s second straight appearance in the AUBC, which was
established in 1998.
Huaquiao University, the 2003
China University Basketball Association champion, placed third last
year behind Sangmu University of South Korea and local bet Rizal
Technological University.
The players from Hanyang
University will be accompanied by All-time South Korean great and
AUBF President Shin Dong Pa, who will also hold a free basketball
clinic for the Cebuanos.
The four local teams competing
are reigning National Inter-Collegiate champion Southwestern
University and runner-up University of Visayas, University
Collegiate Athletic Association of Pangasinan champion University of
Luzon and Region 3 champion Angeles University Foundation.
Dr. Carl Menky Ching, the former
president of the International Basketball Federation who is also
considered as the father of Asian basketball, has been invited as
special guest of honor and speaker during the opening ceremony at
the Cebu Coliseum.
Also attending are SBP-BAP
officials Rep. Luis Villafuerte (chairman), Wilson Young
(co-chairman), Prospero “Butch” Pichay (president) and Christian
Tan (executive director).
Saturday’s schedule will pit
Southwestern University against Angeles University Foundation at 2
p.m. to be followed by the match between Huaquiao University and
University of Luzon at 3:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Pichay announced that
the local winner of the AUBC will be invited to participate in the
National Open Championship in Bacolod in September.
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KRISTA ANGELA MONTEALEGRE
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