DILIMAN College gets a baptism of  fire when it finally takes the floor in the 2019  PBA D-League starting Feb. 14 at the Ynares Sports Arena.

Buoyed by its success in the UCBL,  Diliman College will go up against 19 other teams, including a  record 15 school-based teams  which have signed up  for the developmental league put  up by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

“It will be tough but we’re ready to take on this new challenge. The  boys are excited to take the floor against top  school teams from  other leagues,” said Diliman coach  Rensy Bajar  ahead of the 2019 PBA D-League Draft scheduled  on Tuesday.

“I think  we have  prepared our players well for this new challenge with the support of the Diliman College community,  headed by former Sen. Nikki  Coseteng and our  major sponsor Gerry’s Grill  thru Jerome Ngo and Wilson Sia,” added Bajar, also the first assistant coach of  Pido Jarencio in North Port Batang Pier in the PBA.

Bajar said the team is still hoping to beef up its lineup with regular tryouts every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting at 5 p.m. at the Diliman College gym in Commonwealth Ave.,  Diliman,  Quezon City.

Leading the cast are 2018 PBA D-League Foundation Cup champion  Go for Gold-College of St. Benilde, back-to-back UAAP champion Ateneo, three-peat NCAA champion San Beda University and NAASCU titlist St. Clare College-Caloocan.

Three other UAAP teams --  Far Eeastern University,  Universityof  Santo Tomas and National University -- and NCAA contenders  --  Letran College, University of Perpetual Help, San Sebastian  College and Batangas-Emilio Aguinaldo College -- are also seeing action in the competition.