Beyond the Big Leagues: Pinoyliga Speaks Up On the Scorecard

Pinoyliga made an appearance on The Scorecard with Anton Roxas, and they didn’t come empty-handed. Joining the show were three guests who represent different sides of the league - the man who founded it, and two of the players helping build its reputation on the court.

Tournament Director and founder Benny Benitez sat down to talk about where the league has been, and more importantly, where it's going. Only five years in, and the league has grown to 24 teams across four conferences - the biggest league in terms of teams in the Philippines this year.

His vision has always been rooted in something bigger: giving the schools that have long been overlooked a real platform to compete. The programs ranked 19th to 40th, outside of the UAAP and NCAA, carry talent that simply hasn't had the exposure to prove it. “College basketball shouldn't be about a specific league,” Benitez says, “It should be an ecosystem”. Recognition, he believes, is what drives improvement, not just in skill, but in confidence. “We need them to improve so they can push up the level of competition.” 

That ecosystem is exactly what Pinoyliga is building towards. In the next five years, Benitez envisions 60 teams across the Philppines, a structure that mirrors the NCAA format in the US, and a tournament built on digital equity. Every school has a legitimate shot at glory, regardless of mother league or ranking.

Sitting alongside Benitez were two players who embody the vision from opposite ends. EJ Castillo of the EAC Generals and Collins Akowe of the UST Growling Tigers - and NCAA player and a UAAP Rookie of the Year - competing in the same West Conference, on the same court, with the same opportunity as every other team in the Collegiate Cup. That is precisely the point. Pinoyliga doesn’t distinguish between leagues; it levels the playing field.

For EJ, competing in Pinoyliga has opened doors to play with players he wouldnt be able to go against in his mother league, the NCAA. Now playing in the NCAA, Pinoyliga also offers a rare opportunity to test himself against players from the UAAP. He’s already got names in mind, such as Jacob Cortez of the DLSU Green Archers and Lawrence Mangubat of JRU Heavy Bombers, among them. Collins, meanwhile, sees the same opportunity Benitez has been preaching. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to showcase what the UST Growling Tigers have as a team,” Collins said in the interview.

What makes their presence even more meaningful is that both EJ and Collins are products of the inaugural Pinoyliga Juniors Cup - proof that the league's pipeline is already producing players worth watching at the collegiate level. Now on the opposing side of the same conference, their paths are set to cross on the court. With Pinoyliga Juniors Cup Season 2 launching this June 2026, the next wave of talent is already on its way up.

Pinoyliga’s appearance on The Scorecard was more than a media moment. It was a statement. Five years in, Benitez and his league are making good on a promise to the programs that never had a seat at the table. The talent was always there; Pinoyliga is simply making sure the rest of Philippine basketball can finally see it. Season 5 is just the next chapter.

Season 5 of Pinoyliga Collegiate Cup continues on May 31, 2026, at Enderun Colleges Titans Court. For more information, visit the official Pinoyliga Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pinoyligabasketballcup.