To gauge the strength of this year’s collegiate basketball teams, a pre-NOPSSCEA tournament will be held on Aug. 10 to 12, featuring defending champion West Negros University, University of St. La Salle, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, and Colegio de San Agustin-Bacolod.

Tournament commissioner Pastor Renato Bravo said they hope to make the games as a fund-raising event for the regular NOPSSCEA basketball tournament starting August 31.

Bravo was appointed as tournament manager for basketball in both college and high school divisions, while Elvis Atinado supervises the games in elementary.

With only four collegiate teams eyeing the crown this year, Bravo said they will have a double round robin format in the regular NOPSSCEA season.

In the pre-NOPSSCEA games, he said it will be a single round robin contest with the top two teams disputing the title.

Earlier, NOPSSCEA sports committee chairman Anthony Carlo Agustin said they need to start early with the college basketball competition to give time for the champion squad to prepare for the Philippine Collegiate Championship League regionals set October 14 to 16 in Dumaguete City.

The WNU Mustangs will be shooting for its 14th straight title in the NOPSSCEA this year and hopes to register a good finish in the PCCL.

Out to foil the defending champions bid to retain the NOPSSCEA championship are the USLS Stingers, who will be beefing up their lineup with new recruits, the UNO-R Rams with their equally stronger and deeper bench, and the CSA-B Eagles, who are also touted as the dark horse in the local collegiate basketball contest.*NAB

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Pre-NOPSSCEA basketball set Aug.10-12 at WNU gym