Over 100 Quezon City barangays battle for hoops supremacy in MB Cup Season 2

QC District 2 councilor Mikey Belmonte (2nd from right) leads the launch of the MB Cup Season 2 with technical committee head Teng Torcuator, head commissioner Rensy Bajar and commissioner MJ Dasig.

MANILA, Philippes — It's all systems go for the biggest basketball gathering in Quezon City featuring 114 Barangays for the Mikey Belmonte (MB) Cup Season 2 City Wide Tournament on November 26 at the Novadeci Convention Center in Novaliches.

Around 2,000 athletes are expected to slug it out in the historic league that will run until April 2026 as QC put premium on sports development from the grassroots level and up.

“Ang layunin po natin ay makapag-build ng character, discipline and respect sa ating grassroots athletes sa QC,” said QC District 2 councilor Belmonte, who also heads the Committee on City Planning, Building and Zoning. “Our mission is to establish a sustainable sports program for the youth.”

Belmonte, son of Philippine Star president and CEO Miguel, started his advocacy for sports last year with the inaugural MB Cup featuring barangays from only the second district before going all out this year for every QCtizen.

To ensure a smooth, fair and electrifying tournament, Belmonte tapped NCAA and PBA mentor Rensy Bajar as the head commissioner for QC’s first city-wide basketball league in over a decade.

Bajar, who also heads the sports program of champion team Diliman College in QC and serves as lead assistant coach for new team Titan Ultra in the PBA, beams with excitement to lead a trailblazing tournament.

“Hangad po namin sa MB Cup na magkaroon ng programang magtataguyod sa kabataan. Gusto nating magkaroon ng development ang mga batang atleta na nangangarap sa sports,” said Bajar, joined by fellow commissioner MJ Dasig and head of technical committee coach Teng Torcuator.

But more than a much-needed sports platform for QC youth, the MB Cup serves also an added avenue for budding basketball players to be seen by collegiate and pro scouts and coaches for their ultimate dreams of making it to the pros or abroad.

“The goal here in MB Cup ay hindi lang basta magpalaro. Ito po ay para sa possible scholarships ng mga bata. Sana makakita tayo dito ng mga ganoon players na pwedeng ma-develop para maging isang UAAP, NCAA or PBA star, at pwedeng maipagmalaki ng buong QC,” beamed Belmonte.

“Naniniwala kaming marami pang athlete dito sa QC na hindi pa nagbibigyan ng pagkakataon,” added Bajar.

The MB Cup Season 2 starts next week with the elimination rounds of 114 barangays split into 19 brackets of six teams each.

Three playoff stages are slated after that with the Top 8 teams figuring in the knockout quarterfinals and semifinals before the best-of-three finale.

All citizens of QC under 30 years old are eligible to play, but teams are required to include at least two 15- to 17-year-old players for youth development.

One former or active player from the country’s collegiate and pro leagues plus one local reinforcement from other cities and provinces are also allowed.