GIVING emphasis to its grassroots development program, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) unveils its Under-16 National Championship starting this week in three different venues in Baguio City.

A total of 10 teams are seeing action in the men’s division, while five squads make up the women’s side of the meet otherwise known as the inter-secondary national championship.

The cage meet is slated from Jan. 22 to 28 at the University of Baguio, Cordillera Career Development College, and Eastern College gym, respectively.

“This is part of SBP’s grassroots development program, especially since ang mga stars natin usually galing sa mga kabataan,” said SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios at the PSA Forum Tuesday at Shakey’s U.N. Ave.

“And not unlike sa secondary level, we have more than adequate programs sa mga matataas na antas, like the UAAP, NCAA, and other collegiate and amateur commercial leagues,” added the former PBA commissioner.

Following the under-16 tilt, the under-14 championship will be ushered in by February using a 3-on-3 format, while the under-18 meet known as the inter-collegiate championship, is going to be held simultaneously with the Philippine National Games of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) this summer in Iloilo City.

For now, the SBP is concentrating on the holding of the under-16 championship where University of Santo Tomas, Holy Cross of Davao, and host University of Baguio emerge as among the favorites to win the title.

Bernie Atienza, the SBP executive director who was also present in the session presented by Smart, PAGCOR, and Shakey’s, said that aside from UST, UB, and Holy Cross, other teams seeing action in the men’s side are St. Claire, La Union College of Nursing and Arts and Sciences, St. Bridget School-Batangas, St. John Institute of Bacolod, University of Visayas, Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori of Cagayan de Oro, Holy Child School of Davao, and Claret School of Zamboanga.

The women’s division, on the other hand, is composed of St. Claire, St. Louie-Baguio, Sta. Isabel Naga City, Assumption Davao, and one team in Dagupan.

The 10 teams in the men’s side will be divided into two groups, with the top two in each division advancing in the crossover semis. The top two squads to emerge in the semis dispute the title in a winner-take-all match on Jan. 28.