RING icon Manny Pacquiao will be the biggest attraction when Smart-Liga Pilipinas Conference II unfurls on January 14 in General Santos City.
But one big question is unanswered at the moment?will Pacquiao come in solely as a team owner, or as a playing-team owner?
Liga Pilipinas president and chief executive officer Noli Eala said Thursday that Pacquiao will be in attendance when his General Santos-MP Warriors take on Ilocos Sur Bravehearts in the main game of an explosive opening-day double-header of the regional league.
GenSan is one of the two new teams in the tournament, the other is Manila.
Adding spice to Liga Pilipinas is Nigerian center Sam Ekwe, who will suit up for Laguna Stallions when they face last season?s last-placer Zamboanga in the opening salvo after a simple opening ceremony.
?Manny will be there to watch his team and, hopefully, get a chance to play,? Eala said. ?He is listed in the official lineup, which would surely spice things up. His presence is an added boost to the league.?
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president and Smart chairman Manny Pangilinan will also grace the tournament intended to tap new talents for the developmental squad being formed by Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.
Other participating teams are Smart-Pampanga, Harbour Centre-Taguig, Quezon Red Oilers, Manila, Cebu, Iloilo Mang Inasals and Misamis Oriental Metors. The tournament is bankrolled by Smart and supported by Nature Spring Water, Molten and Accel.
The conference will feature 11 pocket tournaments and all clubs will be given a chance to host three teams from where they play a qualification single-round robin to determine the ranking from first to fourth places.
Eala explained that there will be corresponding points for each placing with the leg champion getting 10 points, five points for the second place, three points for the third place and one point for the fourth place. A bonus of two points would also be given to the team that would sweep a pocket event.
