Organizers of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) promise to open the 85th season with a bang as they will introduce three guest teams to join their group.

“The preparation this year will be very special because we are introducing the guest teams. We can’t tell you much, I think you should come to see it. But this much I can tell you: you’re going to see one of the best, if not the best,” said NCAA Management Committee head Jose Mari Lacson during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue Branch in Manila.

The guest teams joining this year will be Arellano University, Emilio Aguinaldo College and Angeles University Foundation.

The league has seven regular teams: Jose Rizal University, San Beda, Letran College, College of St. Benilde, San Sebastian College, Mapua and University of Perpetual Help Dalta System. The eighth team was Philippine Christian University, which will move out in 2009.

Lacson said the guest teams are also applying for permanent status in the NCAA. “As guest teams, they can win the championship [in basketball], that's the way we wanted it,” he said.

Lacson said the guest teams will be required to join six sports including basketball, volleyball, football, track and field, swimming and cheerleading.

“But it seems to me as if they are willing to join most of the teams,” he said.

The other sports being played in the NCAA are chess, lawn tennis, table tennis, taekwondo and beach volleyball.

In an effort to put not only basketball in the limelight, Lacson said the NCAA has formed a partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

“Except for basketball and swimming, all the sports will be played in Rizal Memorial Coliseum as part of the partnership,” said Lacson. Dennis Gasgonia, abs-cbnNEWS.com