The NCAA ushers in its Season 91 with a pair of explosive basketball games pitting reigning five-peat seniors champion San Beda and host Mapua and last year’s second and third placers Arellano University and Jose Rizal on June 27 at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.

The San Beda-Mapua duel is set at 2 p.m. while the Arellano-Jose Rizal showdown is scheduled at 4 p.m. with both games preceded by a fabulous opening ceremony centered in this season’s theme: “NCAA: Engineered for Sports Excellence in the New Decade” with hopes of producing more athletic feats.

Mapua CEO and NCAA president Dr. Reynaldo Vea made the official announcement yesterday in the official turnover ceremony from Season 90 host Jose Rizal to current host Mapua at ABS-CBN’s ELJ Building in Quezon City.

“We expect nothing less than excitement in basketball, which we expect to set the tone for another memorable season,” said Vea after the mantle of hosting responsibility was formally passed on by last year’s league president Dr. Vincent K. Fabella of Jose Rizal University.
The NCAA also bared its return to television giant ABS-CBN as its new television media partner.

“ABS-CBN will be the NCAA’s media partner for the next ten years starting in this year’s 91st season,” said Vea.

Dino Laurena, ABS-CBN’s head for integrated sports, for his part, welcomed the news of their renewed partnership with the country’s oldest collegiate league after a three-year hiatus.

“We are excited at the prospect of now handling the premiere collegiate leagues in the country which is in line with our vision to help promote sports to our Kapamilya audience especially the youth,” he said.

“Together with our renewed partnership with the NCAA, we look forward with excitement in building the league and the tournament,” he added.

Management Committee chairman Melchor Divina of Mapua said the league has re-scheduled its games from Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with a total of seven seniors games to be played every week.
Games will be shown on ABS-CBN Sports + Action live on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

The Arena in San Juan City will host majority of the elimination round games with the marquee matches set at the MOA Arena.

San Beda College, the reigning Seniors basketball champion, is out to extend its reign to six seasons while College of Saint Benilde defends its general championship after emerging the overall champion last season.