NATIONAL University-Nazareth School and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA are set to headline the opening day of the Next Generation Basketball League (NGBL).

The UAAP Season 86 and NCAA Season 99 juniors basketball finalists will be starting their respective journeys as they aim to finish their stories and claim their spots at the top of high school basketball for this upcoming new season.

“It’s a good opportunity for exposure and our preparations for the upcoming Season 87,” said NUNS Bullpups star and Season 87 MVP Collins Akowe.

“I’m expecting more competition,” he added of the league which is led by San Miguel Sports Director and Executive Committee Chairman Alfrancis Chua, Commissioner and PBA legend Ronnie Magsanoc, Tournament Director LA Tenorio of Ginebra, Program Director Bonnie Tan of NorthPort, and Operations Manager and PBA Chief Statistician Fidel Mangonon III.

National U and the Junior Altas will be locking horns on Sunday, Aug. 11, at 10:30 a.m., while opening the game day are NCAA high school’s San Beda University and Arellano University at 9:00 a.m.

Meanwhile, Season 86 third-placers Far Eastern University-Diliman will be battling University of Santo Tomas at 1:00 p.m., while rounding up the first game day at the Tanduay Gym is the matchup between the University of the East and Jose Rizal University at 2:30 p.m.

On the other hand, aside from the weekdays, Sunday, and Holiday games at the Tanduay gym, and the Saturday bouts at the Aero Center, the MGC New Christian Life Academy gym will also be featuring a number of marquee matchups.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Lyceum of the Philippines University are out for battle there on August 17 at 11:00 a.m., while raising the curtains of that Saturday game day are Mapua University and La Salle Greenhills at 9:00 a.m.

MGC will be banking on home-court advantage when they go up against Arellano at 1 p.m., and they again will have the privilege of playing at home on September 28 against FEU-D on September 28 at 1:00 p.m.

Aside from this, Letran Squires and the San Beda Red Cubs will also rekindle their rivalry in this promising new league that is also headed by its President Bigboy Cheng and Finance head Eric Ang on September 7 at 11:00 a.m.

Ateneo de Manila University and La Salle Greenhills are to extend the historic Ateneo-La Salle rivalry in the NGBL on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8, at 11:00 a.m.

The NGBL, which is which is supported by Uratex, Jollibee, Strong Group Athletics, World Balance, Verleo Catering as official caterer, JETOUR, Tanduay Athletics, Crocs, Gatorade, SOLAR Sports as official TV Partner, Molten as official game ball, Team Rebel Sports Pilipinas as the official league outfitter, Summit Natural Drinking Water, SWISH as official league statistics app, MET Food Corporation, and RICA UPVC Aluminum Glass and Trading Corp., is expected to conclude its elimination round on September 28.

The crossover quarterfinals will be held on October 5 and 6, while the semifinals are on October 13.

The all-or-nothing championship game for the P300,000 cash prize is set for October 13.

Aside from the October 5 quarterfinal which will be held at the Aero Center, the rest of the playoff games until the finals will be played at the Tanduay gym.