INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Southeast Asia's first regional professional basketball league takes off in October with the Philippines tabbed as the favorite.

A local squad backed by port magnate Mikee Romero, who owns the seven-time PBL champion team Harbour Centre (Oracle Residences), will see action in the six-nation 1st Asean Basketball League (ABL) which will open in Singapore.

?This league will be the region?s counterpart of the Euro League and the NBA,? said Romero, who is venturing into the play-for-pay league with businessman Antonio ?Tonyboy? Cojuangco, owner of broadcast firm ABC 5.

The ABL, launched in Kuala Lumpur last January, aims to boost the game?s standard in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia are also fielding teams in the tourney which will use the home-and-away format.

Local talents will comprise the majority of players and only four imports?two Asians and two non-Asians?will be allowed to play in each team.

?It?s exciting since other countries can hire our players as imports,? Romero said in Friday's Scoop session at Kamayan Padre Faura.

?The aim is to develop local talents and stars,? Malaysian billionaire Tony Fernandes, league chair and founder, had said in January.

?This is just an initial step; we hope to expand the league in the near future,? said Romero, who sits in the board of the tournament sanctioned by the Fiba Asia.

Romero said 6-foot-8 Nigerian Sam Ekwe, a two-time NCAA Most Valuable Player, and former national team players Jonathan Fernandez and Boyet Bautista are among the early candidates for the 12-man RP roster.

?We can hire players from the PBA, PBL and Liga ng Pilipinas,? said Romero, adding a series of tryout will start next month. ?We can also tap college stars.?

Singapore is expected to field the Slingers, which previously competed in the Australian NBL, while Indonesia will pit pro team Britama.