The Philippine Collegiate Championship is now in its sixth year, and it is a much improved version than what started back then with the Collegiate Champions League. Previously, during the CCL days, it was basically Metro Manila schools and a couple of guest teams from Visayas and Mindanao. Now, it has grown to a much more credible tournament with schools winning to get in. The seeded Final Four teams from the UAAP and NCAA won in their respective leagues in one way or another, and champions of the "secondary" league also get a slot. Those who do not fall into this category have to qualify via the Zonals days before the actual March Madness style tournament. So, teams don't just get in because they're a big name school.
Although the format has made the tournament design to be more competitive, the results tend to prove otherwise. It is no surprise that a big school (specifically a UAAP) school has won the title all the years it has been held (UE & FEU twice, Ateneo & La Salle once). Naturally, recruitment muscle, superior grassroots programs and some would say better coaching all come to the forefront to show that the UAAP is still the best collegiate league in the country.
Aside from this lopsidedness of results though, it is validation that the PCC is struggling with. Schools and players do not provide it with the respect the organizers, including the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, desire. Understandibly, this is part of the growing pains fo the league. To the schools, their collegiate championships mean more to them and have more tradition to substantiate the win. Think about it, 6 years as compared to 72 and 95 seasons for the UAAP and NCAA respectively. So, instead of featuring the best collegiate teams and players into the country, it is morphed into something resembling more of a "Pre-season" tournament for 2010 rather than a post-season tournament of the highest stature. Schools field next year's line-ups, elevate some team B players, lose star players to the PBL, PBA or ABL and even some head coaches to commentary. Not a nice way to draw credibility as a tournament and fans if you ask me...
Now, naturally, the bigger leagues are being stiff since they have the "most to lose" due to these extra games. Injury does not pick tournaments after all. There is also the lame excuse that students should be "focusing more on their studies." C'mon. You can't expect us to believe that. Unfortunately, we can't blame them. These bodies do have heaploads to lose and no monetary prizes (yes, there are folks) can compensate for the risks underlying another league.
What the SBP should do though is provide some other form of incentive to the schools and the players. The right to compete in Serbia in behalf of the Philippines that DLSU won last yearcan be a sweet prize just as long as some training budget comes along with it. So, what I would suggest is that they scrap the outirhgt cash and instead reform it into "training budget." All schools need the expense relief anyway. Also, another suggestion I'd have is to officially name the winning school as the "National Champion" or "Philippine Champion" instead of "PCC Champion" (yes, it's redundant, I know.). There's just more substance to it, not to mention it estblishes a tradition worth keeping.
Bottom line, the PCC is experiencing growing pains, and hopefully, the leaders can get the mother leagues and teams on the train as it has the best potential as of the moment to follow in the footsteps of March Madness. On our end, maybe we can support the league more - watch some games, discuss on online forums, watch on tv even. Just helping create a buzz for it could accelarate the pace for Philippine basketball development in general. Let's go, one country!
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On a side note, the Ateneo Blue Eagles won the Unigames Basketball Championship over the sem break. Congrats to the Blue Eagles! They did it without Jai Reyes, Nonoy Baclao and Rabeh Al-Hussaini in the line-up...
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