THE NCAA is looking to add another playdate to its weekly schedule in the basketball tournament next year in the hopes of avoiding another long drawn-out season.
Its schedule already loaded with the recent entry of new teams, the NCAA has been extended by nearly-two-weeks during the Fiba-Asia Championships break last August, several suspensions due to inclement weather, and the coming Halloween break.
Last season’s cage wars ended October 24, but this year’s tournament is expected to finish mid-November, already the second semester in most schools.
The postseason begins November 7 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Officials now plan to set four playdates every week.
“One of the proposals is add another playdate,” Management committee chairman Dax Castellano said.
No changes were made to the tournament format after the league expansion, which naturally stretched the tournament.
Emilio Aguinaldo College and Arellano joined in 2009 and Lyceum followed suit two years later, extending the duration of the tournament that has a double-round elimination before the Final Four and the Finals.
But that could also change, according to officials.
“Option din yun,” Castellano said. “We’ll talk about it on the workshop next summer.”
Jose Rizal University will host Season 90.
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