City of Malolos, Bulacan — Around 292 basketball teams have joined the largest ever basketball league now in the Philippines, the Pulding’s Cup Season 3 of the Agila Baskeball League (ABL) during its opening ceremony held recently at the Malolos Sports Convention Center (MSCC).
ABL Sports Director Anthony “Toti” Villanueva said this league is now the largest ever basketball league in the country organized by Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad and its on 3rd season this year.
This season, 292 teams have registered and scheduled to play its first game on the opening day.
Mayor Natividad said it started only with 68 teams during the launching of Pulding’s Cup increasing to 101 teams during the 2nd season.
“This is the biggest league in our country now, this is definitely be exciting and full of actions compare to any basketball league in the province,” Natividad said.
It has an 8 legs including Malolos, Bocaue, Pandi, City of San Jose Del Monte, Sta Maria, San Miguel, Baliuag at Meycauayan.
Each leg has three divisions/ categories, the 25-year old under; 39-year old under and the 40 above.
Every team will play for eliminations in their respective towns/ cities where they belong and every categories will have a champion team which will play to the next level, the battle of the champions of Pulding’s Cup Season 3.
One of the programs of Mayor Natividad is to enhance the significance of sports particularly basketball in able to take away the youths from wrong doings such as involvement in drug addiction and to maintain good health as well, the mayor said.
During the opening, an exhibition game was held along with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) legends led by the aerial voyager Vergel Meneses, the captain Alvin Patrimonio, the triggerman Allan Caidic, Eddie Laure, Rodney Santos, Bobby Jose, Ogie Gumatay together with selected celebrities and local basketball superstars , Jumbo Cruz, Nicanor “Baniknok” Reyes and Amiel “Lapok” Cruz.