IT’S going to be an all-out war in Group B of NCAA Season 101, as the league unveiled the brackets for the upcoming basketball wars set to get rolling on October 1.
Perennial rivals Letran and San Beda join modern powerhouse College of St. Benilde, an on-the-rise Emilio Aguinaldo College, and a young and promising Jose Rizal University in a bracket that’s clearly looking like the group of death.
Season host and defending champion Mapua banners Group A alongside one of last year’s semifinalists in Lyceum, preseason surprise Arellano, retooled Perpetual, and new-look San Sebastian.
A shot in the arm for NCAA
Based on the new format, those in the same group will play each other twice, while facing teams from the other bracket once for a total of 13 games each.
The top three teams per group automatically advance to the quarterfinals, while the bottom two will battle it out in a play-in for the last berth.
The quarterfinals with feature crossover pairings, with the top two teams from each group armed with twice-to-beat advantages.
Then it’s all best-of-threes from there to determine the kings of NCAA basketball.
It’s an interesting shake-up for the ‘Grand Ol’ League,’ as it shortens the elimination round for a longer playoff period, while giving the bottom teams something to fight for until the end of the tournament.
The juniors division will also see the same groupings, with defending champion Perpetual leading the pack in Group A, as runner-up La Salle Green Hills does battle with two perennial contenders in the Squires and Red Cubs.
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