By Lucio Gabor
The Philippine Schools Athletic Association (PSAA) Season 3: Rise of Champions will officially open this Sunday, June 21, at the Makati Coliseum in Makati City.
A total of 12 teams in the under-18 division, 11 in the under-16 division, and 6 in the under-14 division will compete in Season 3, which is expected to showcase the country's future basketball stars.
Led by PSAA President and Founder Fernando Arimado and veteran sportscaster Bill Velasco serving as Commissioner, the league aims to provide exposure to high-level competition for schools that are mostly not members of the country's major collegiate leagues.
"At PSAA, we are not competing with other leagues. Because we stream our games live, coaches find this an eye-opener. We have Under-14, Under-16, and Under-18 divisions, giving players and schools valuable exposure. Most of these schools also have their own mother leagues, so this can serve as a preseason tournament for them," said Arimado during the weekly Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports, Inc. (TOPS) Usapang Sports Forum on Thursday at the Philippine Sports Commission Media Room.
Arimado added that teams are now preparing more seriously for the upcoming season, allowing players to develop their competitive edge while strengthening camaraderie and chemistry on the court.
"Every game shows how strong the teams have become. They are well-prepared for every match. Someday, we hope to make the PSAA even stronger and bigger, with all teams continuing to be part of the league," he said.
For several coaches, the goal is to double their efforts and improve teamwork in preparation for the new season.
"We've been preparing for the last two months because we also have a 16-under division in the NCAA. We have grassroots programs, and this league is a big opportunity for us to identify players who can move up to the Under-16 level," said Arellano University coach Jesse Mapanao.
"As for our team, our preparation is just begun since our major leagues have recently concluded. We will continue implementing the same system we used last season. This league will help prepare our players for the collegiate level," added De La Salle-Dasmariñas University coach Ryan Dalosa.
Also present at the forum were Coach Christopher dela Cruz of DLSU-D, Coach Joshua Tan of San Felipe Neri Catholic School, Coach Ryan de Ramos of San Sebastian College-Recoletos, and Arvin Faustino of Chiang Kai Shek College. The Philippine Sports Commission, Pocari Sweat, and Behrouz Persian Cuisine supported the forum.
PSAA will also provide significant opportunities beyond basketball. This season, the league will introduce volleyball as well as Game of the Generals, a Filipino-developed esports title being promoted by the ESports World Federation (ESWF).
"The ESWF's involvement in PSAA includes the introduction of esports in Season 3. The ESWF will feature the Filipino-made game Game of the Generals, which began as a board game and which the Department of Science and Technology later helped develop into a digital version. It will be played during Season 3," said ESWF President Arniel Gutierrez.
Basketball champions will also gain entry to a training camp in New Zealand.
The league will stream PSAA games live on its Facebook and YouTube channels, as well as on the Pinoy Extreme cable channel.
