by Redjie Cawis

BAGUIO CITY, March 24  - The Pound for Pound King formally opened the 1st Manny Pacquiao Cup Basketball Tournament at the Easter College Gym, here Monday afternoon.

The basketball tournament is part of the high altitude training here in Baguio City. According to Pacquiao, basketball is an additional exercise for the body as he prepares for another world title bout.

 The tournament is composed of 13 teams, 11 coming from the local Baguio City and Benguet teams, a selection team of Pacquiao called Manny Pacquiao Warriors, and team Buboy, the selection team from General Santos City and Sarangani Province under assistant coach Buboy Fernandez.

Baguio Teams are composed of the University of Baguio Cardinals, Teahouse team composed of BENECO players, Mothers Team, Mazo Law Office team, Baguio College of Technology Eagles, MP Nitro tea and the Autofield team.

Teams from Benguet are the Cordillera Career Development College Admirals, the La Trinidad Glas and the BMRP team of Nestor Fongwan Jr.

The Buhay Media Team, who took on a Friendship Cup championship trophy several years back, will also try their luck in this league.

 Meanwhile, the pound for pound king led the pack of the MP Warriors to take down the UB Cardinals in the opening game of the tournament.

 Pacman scored 14 points while brother Bobby scored 10 to defeat the Cardinals with the final score of 90-80.

 After the game, Pacman stressed that boxing is still his number one sport followed only by basketball, his second sport.

 The league will continue for the next two weeks and the champion is expected to win P100,000 as cash prize and the bragging rites of the 1st Manny Pacquiao Cup. *(PIA CAR)