October 22 ------ Eight local teams will vie in the inaugural Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) which kicks off today, Oct. 22, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The tournament will be composed of Bacoor, Biñan, Caloocan, Marikina, Negros Oriental, Rizal, San Juan and Nasipit of Agusan Del Norte -- the lone team from Mindanao. Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) Commissioner Mike Tavera said the volleyball tournament is aimed at discovering homegrown talents and giving them the platform to shine.
“Karamihan sa mga players natin dito is homegrown and we want them to display their talents, also to grow as a player,” Tavera said in a press conference on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City. “This league aims to promote our localities and we hope this inaugural season will be memorable for the players, but also for the fans that were going to watch their games,” he added.
There will be two to three games per playdate and will run for two rounds. There can be no more than three former professional players on any given club, and each side must have at least three homegrown players. MPVA was founded by boxer-turned-politician Manny Pacquiao, who also heads the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
According to Pacquaio, they have plans to make a tournament for male spikers and add more teams just like in the MPBL. For the first offering, Caloocan battles Negros Oriental at 3:30 p.m. while San Juan faces Rizal at 6 p.m.
Source: mb.com.ph
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