Immaculada Concepcion College (ICC) remains the favorite to win the men’s basketball tournament of the National Capital and Regional Athletic Association (NCRAA) which kicks off its 31st season this April.

The Blue Hawks are gunning for a third straight championship after retaining the title last year behind a close 65-62 win over De La Salle University-Dasmariñas in the deciding Game 3 of the finals.

“For this season, the team to beat is still ICC, the defending, back-to-back champion,” NCRAA president Gerry Sergio of La Salle-Dasmariñas said.

“But all teams this 31st season are all competitive which assures of a balanced competition.”

Sergio was with long-time NCRAA general manager Buddy Encarnado in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Joining them were other officials of the collegiate league like Joseph Ortega (secretary) of the Philippine Merchant Marine School, Engr. Ted Cada (treasurer) of Asian Institute of Maritime Studies, and Benjamin Hernandez (auditor) of host school PATTS College of Aeronautics.

“I think two is enough,” added the La Salle official with a smile, echoing the intent of the rest of the field to prevent ICC from scoring a three-peat.

Other participating schools are Lyceum of the Philippines-Laguna, University of Luzon, Olivarez College, Bestlink College of the Philippines and Integrated School.

Past alumni of the NCRAA such as brothers Ranidel and Yancy De Ocampo, Vic Manuel and Gary David have been invited to grace the opener tentatively set on the first week of April at a venue still to be named.

“This is our small way of contributing to the national effort particularly to the Gilas Pilipinas program. So a little league like the NCRAA is doing its best,” stressed Encarnado, the former Philippine Basketball Association board chairman and team manager of Sta. Lucia during the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart/PLDT, MILO, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

The format will be a single round robin, with the top eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals, followed by the knockout semifinals and the finals which would be a best-of-three series.

The champion team will likewise get the chance to represent the country in international tournaments, according to Encarnado, like what ICC did last year when it competed in meets held in Sydney, Chinese Taipei and China.