Pinoyliga Next Man cUP: Three Things to know

The main college season is heading into the home stretch, but that did not deter Pinoyliga to hold another competition with the Next Man Cup that tips off this Saturday afternoon at the Activate Hoop Arena.

Five teams (UE, San Beda, Mapua, Ateneo, and UP) sent their Team Bs to gauge their prospects as well as give them a chance to impress their respective main teams and prepare for a potential elevation to their main team the next season.

Here are the three main reasons why you must watch the games.

ONE: Every game counts

With only five teams and a single round-robin, every game counts as only four teams qualify for a quickfire knockout playoff. You have these fabled reserve squads such as Ateneo's Glory Be and San Beda's Team Behold competing with three other schools that signed up for this.

For every team, it's one miss you die. No wonder for every game, every single ball will be fought for with an intensity that matches their main team counterparts.

TWO: A chance to shine for the players

What's great about this tournament is that those who are not in their respective squads for the UAAP and the NCAA are given the spotlight in this tournament, with reasons varying from tight competition for main roster spots, and team A players recuperating from injuries.

You would see the likes of San Beda's JV Gallego, among others that will ply their trade as they prepare for the 2023 grind.

THREE: Glimpse of what Father Martin's Cup is all about

For the longest time, the Father Martin's Cup is the primary competition for those in Team B basketball, with the likes of CJ Perez and Anton Asistion toiling on the floor of San Beda's fabled St. Placid gym before their rise to stardom in college.

With that in mind, it is a great thing that Pinoyliga launched the inaugural edition of the Next Man cUP to supplant the likes of other well-established tournaments for these players, hoping that they can get at least a shot in making it to the varsity proper.

Catch the games of the Next Man cUP on the Facebook page of Pinoyliga Cup. For stats, go to Pinoyliga.Com.