Cebu's top collegiate teams start battle for supremacy in Saint Bernard caging

SAINT BERNARD, Philippines — The cream of the crop of Cebu's collegiate basketball begin their intense showdown for hardcourt supremacy as the 2017 St. Isidore Parish Fiesta Invitational Cup gets underway at this progressive municipality considered among the fastest growing economy in the pacific area of Southern Leyte.

Of the five contending squads, the reigning Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) champions University of the Visayas Green Lancers, Southwestern University-Phinma Cobras and the University of Southern Philippines Panthers have the heaviest workload with two games each to take care today.

The Gary Cortes-mentored Lancers will clash head-on with their bitter rivals Cobras at 9 am, then go up against the Panthers of coach Albert Alocillo in the final match of the day at 8:30 pm.

After a six-hour rest, the Cobras will again flex their muscles against the University of Cebu Webmasters at 7 pm, while the Panthers will open the afternoon session against the University of San Carlos Warriors at 1 pm.

  "What is far more important than winning is that we are able to show the true spirit of sportsmanship. That is what a competition is all about," said St. Isidore Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Joselito 'Joy' C. Catubig during the welcoming ceremony of participants at the Cristo Rey Regional High School early yesterday morning.

Also present during the short program were Saint Bernard Vice Mayor Jocelyn Bungcaras and councilor Menchou Lim, Erlinda Diaz and Saturnino Cinco.

Fr. Catubig, literally a basketball preacher for his unbridled passion in the country's most popular sport, is the lead organizer of the three-day tilt in partnership with Saint Bernard LGU under the flagship of Mayor Manuel 'Willy' Calapre. He's been staging this kind of highly entertaining show for the Leytenos for the fourth time already in five years with the help of the respectable coach and league organizer Van Halen Parmis.

This time, Fr. Catubig is bringing in their shores the best collegiate teams in Cebu.

What makes the tournament more lively and interesting is that three new coaches will embark of their first mission with their respective teams.  They are the legendary Raul 'Yayoy' Alcoseba of the UC, Bong Abad of USC and Mike Reyes of SWU-Phinma.

For them, this Saint Bernard trip is a timely  venue for their team building activity.  They also take it as an opportunity to take a deeper look as well as measure the strong and weak points of their  players.

But for sure, all eyes will be also on the cash bounty for the top performers amounting to P260,000.

After the single round robin elimination, the top two teams will then fight it out for the title in a sudden-death match on May 29.

The champion will take home P100,000, while the second and third placers will pocket P70,000 and P50,000, respectively. Non winners will not go home empty-handed as they will receive P20,000 each. (FREEMAN)