Marikina caging opens Sunday

Two-time champion Hobe Bihon-Cars Unlimited headline a formidable field seeing action in the DELeague 5 unfolding on Sunday at Marikina Sports Center Basketball Gym in Marikina.

Hobe will battle it out with 10 other teams for the title in the tournament that features former PBA standouts and collegiate stars.

Among the top players suiting up in the league are retired PBA stars Nic Belasco and Ali Peek, as well as Leo Avenido, Kiko Adriano and Estong Ballesteros. Collegiate aces Mac Belo, Karim Abdul and ex-University of the East import Charles Mammie are also playing.

The teams have been grouped into two brackets with Hobe, Mindanao Agilas, Far Eastern University-FERN, Our Lady of Fatima University, and Metro Pacific Toll Corp.-Tollways making up Group A. Sta. Lucia Land, Macway Travel, Austen Morris Associates, Philippine Christian University, Power Innovation Philippines, and PNP are in Group B.

Backed by Marikina Mayor Del De Guzman, the league opens with a short program that includes the search for the tournament’s Best Muse. The champion team will get P200,000, with the second and third placers picking up P100,000 and P50,000, respectively.

“For the past four years, our league has been successful because of the support and patronage of our residents, as well as those coming from nearby cities,” De Guzman said.