THE 2017 Escandor Cup gets going on February 26 at the Davao City Recreation Center with Holy Child Learning Center set to defend the title against a bigger field.
The tournament featuring high school teams has been expanded from six teams to 12 including two entries from the public school sector.
Two-time champion Ateneo de Davao University heads the challengers, including new entries Davao City National High School and Danniel R. Aguinaldo National High School.
Grouped with the titleholders are Ford Academy of the Arts, Agro Industrial Foundation College, Holy Cross of Davao-Sasa, DRANHS and Davao Jones Academy.
Ateneo de Davao has been bracketed with Assumption School of Davao, Jose Maria College, Emar Learning Center, Davao City National HS and Philippine Women's College.
Each group will play single round robin with the top two squads advancing to the crossover semis. Ties are broken by the winner-over-the-other rule otherwise, the quotient system applies.
SBP Board of Trustee member and regional director Glenn Escandor tapped Leuterio to oversee the tournament as part of the basketball body's year-round program.
"Now, it's going to be more competitive," said Ronel Leuterio, Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) XI liaison officer.
"With the addition of DCNHS and DRANHS which are the top two public school teams in the city, the tournament is wide open."
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