Webmasters, Magis Eagles seek finals entry in CESAFI

CEBU, Philippines — The University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters and the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles both train their sights on punching championship tickets as they battle separate foes in the semifinals of the 19th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc, (CESAFI) men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum today.

First to take on the floor are the second seed Magis Eagles against the third-ranked University of the Visayas Baby Lancers at 5:15 p.m. followed by the No.2 qualifier Webmasters versus the three-time defending champions UV Lancers in the 6:45 p.m. nightcap.

The Webmasters take pride for being the only team to sweep the Lancers in the double round elimination. That is a key factor for the wards of coach Yayoy Alcoseba in clinching a twice-to-beat advantage over their fancied rivals.

Alcoseba, however, downplayed their two-game trouncing of the Lancers saying that each game is a tough challenge against a formidable team that dominated the league for the past three years.

“We will treat it as a do-or-die game,” said Alcoseba, referring to their third meeting with the Lancers this season.

For his part, UV coach Gary Cortes said they will just give their very best in the hope of getting back at their tormentors especially now that the stakes are higher and  they are facing no tomorrow.

“It’s okay that we got swept by the Webmasters because it’s only the eliminations,” said Cortes, who is eyeing for his fifth straight finals appearance since he took over the coaching reins of UV from Felix ‘Donbel’ Belano, Jr. in 2015. “We’ll do our very best to play well and play one quality game at a time.”

Again, it’s going to be an explosive battle between UV’s Lass Coulibally and UC’s Tosh Sesay, two of the league’s most prolific foreign student-athletes.

Coulibally is backed up by a talented local crew led by All-Star MVP Jancork Cabahug alongside Sheldon Gahi, Gileant Delator, Gabriel Cometa, Froiland Maglasang, Michael Maestre, Ted Saga and Monic Soliva among others.          

On UC’s side, Sesay is expected to draw huge support from the likes of Darell Shane Menina, Paul Galinato, John Calvin Jabello, Renzo Galdo, Luigi Gabisan, Kyle Ordeniza, and Jasper Pacana.

In the juniors division, the Magis Eagles will also try to make the most out of their twice-to-beat edge against the Baby Lancers.

The Magis Eagles actually lost to the Baby Lancers in their season-opener but won eight of their next nine games to eventually claim the No.2 spot behind the topseeded UC Baby Webmasters.

As usual, the Magis Eagles will rely heavily on Mike Boniel, LA Casinillo, Justin Maglasang, Reymark Narbasa and Vince Tangkay, while the Baby Lancers will count the most from Albert Sacayan, Samuel Melicor, Franzel Basalo,Fritz Banzon, Christian Alilin, Maynard Bajo and Buen Bulado.