Ateneo, Benilde headline AsiaBasket’s Dasma tilt

MANILA — Ateneo de Manila University and College of St. Benilde are among the 10 squads that will grace the AsiaBasket Dasmariñas Championship.

The Blue Eagles and the Rajko Toroman-mentored squad will be competing in the tournament that will kick off on November 3 at the 5,000-seater Dasmariñas Arena in Cavite.

Ateneo will be joined in Group A by Statham Academy, a squad that features veteran overseas hoopers led by founder Taylor Statham, MisOr Mustangs, who will be led by Teytey Teodoro and Axel Doromal, the Pilipinas Aguilas, and Makati Circus Music Festival.

On the other hand, CSB will be competing against Gerald Anderson’s Corsa Tires, Shawarma Shack, Phuket Waves, and hometown squad Dasmariñas Monarchs in Group B.

The two groups will be competing in a single round-robin format until November 7, and only the top four teams from each pool will advance to the next round.

The Blazers will be starting their campaign on opening day as they will be facing the Dasmariñas Monarchs, who will be parading former NCAA stars Mike Harry and Hamadou Laminou, at 7 PM.

The Pilipinas Aguilas, who are starred by former collegiate standouts Prinze Eze and Moustapha Arafat, will open the league’s festivities at 1 PM against the Makati Circus Music Festival. It will then be followed by the 3 PM matchup between Shawarma Shack and Corsa Tires.

Right before the main event is the 5 PM bout between MisOr Mustangs and Statham Academy.

On November 4, Ateneo will be competing against Statham Academy, while Phuket Waves will be locking horns with Corsa Tires.

At the end of the elimination games, the crossover knockout quarterfinals will be held on November 9, and the semifinals and finals will be on November 10 and 11, respectively.

Mayonnaise, Al James, and Nobita, meanwhile, will be featured in the concert that will conclude the Dasma edition of AsiaBasket on November 12.