The Explorers, one of the expansion teams in the tourney sponsored by Panasonic, Sulpicio Lines, Spring Cooking Oil, Molten, Nature’s Spring, Regent Foods and official cable carrier Prime Channel, hope to make a big start with the backing of the hometown crowd.

Mayor Co says the Golden Harvest of Mayor Jose Galario Jr., "would be hard to beat. But we’ll do everything to start our campaign on a winning note, just like what Batang Tagaytay did last week when it beat Pangasinan Hundred Islands in Tagaytay City."

"The people here are excited. Tagaytay had a great opening (in the north). We want a good follow-up," said Mayor Co.

The Explorers finished second to inaugural champion Tribu Sugbu in the NBC-Nature’s Spring pre-season leg in Tagaytay.

On Saturday, it’s the Iligan Crusaders’ turn to host another expansion team – Gov. Manny Piñol’s North Cotabato Braves.

The Firefly-backed Crusaders of Mayor Lawrence Cruz hope to do better this time. Last year, the Crusaders lost to reining NBC champion Ozamiz Cotta in the semifinals after taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

But the Crusaders are expected to have their hands full against the Braves, who ruled the pre-season leg in Pagadian.

"Our fans are eagerly waiting to see our team in action," said Mayor Cruz. "Our practice games have been drawing big crowds, so I expect a full house when the boys play North Cotabato."

NBC opened its third season last Friday with Spring-Parañaque of NBC president Nathaniel "Tac" Padilla and Mayor Anjo Yllana beating Bacchus/Harbour Centre-Manila and Tagaytay toppling Pangasinan.