THE 2012 Sun Cellular E-League for Basketball blasts off today with a pair of games and the highly anticipated selection of best muse at the City Sports Club-Cebu Gym.
League newcomers Odusee and ELI Global collide in the first game while Teleperformance, the third new member, faces the returning Sykes in the main game.
Sykes is the league’s inaugural champion.
Highlighting the opening ceremonies will be the selection of best muse which will adapt a mini-pageant theme to be hosted by Cebuana beauty queens Karla Henry, Sian Meynard and Anna Maris Igpit.
The league’s eighth season will have a new commissioner in former PBA player Al Solis. Referees accredited by the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, the country’s governing body for basketball, will handle the officiating.
The 21 competing teams will be divided into two groups—the southern conference and the northern conference.
The northern conference will have JP Morgan, Convergys, Eperformax, Calltek, Kyocera, Stream, Aegis, Executive Boutique, 1&1, Qualfon and Xlibris.
Comprising the southern conference are Lexmark, Accenture, Teleperformance, Teletech, Odusee, SSI, Sykes, ELI Global, Supportsave and Cebu Global.
Teams will play in a single round robin in the eliminations with the top eight advancing to the playoffs. The number one to four seeds enjoy twice-to-beat edges over their lower-ranked foes.
The conference semifinals and finals will be a best-of-three affair. Conference champions will then play each other for the overall crown. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA