Cebu Basketball in 2007
Bleacher Talk
December 23, 2007
Cebu Basketball in 2007
Cebu Basketball in 2007 will go down the record books as a year featuring basically two major entities on the rise: CESAFI and Yayoy, not in any particular order.
The CESAFI 2007 basketball tournament was the biggest and most successful in Cebu collegiate history, featuring record highs in terms of attendance, competition, support, and over-all impact on the local basketball scene.
Although they were shoo-in favorites to win a seventh straight title, the University of the Visayas Lancers (UV) had to go through some scary moments against both the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) and the University of San Carlos (USC) in the playoffs. UV was stretched to rubber matches against both teams, and if it weren’t for their championship experience and heart, we might have seen a new CESAFI champion this year.
CESAFI’s successful seventh season wouldn’t have been possible without the more balanced competition and the tremendous support coming from the different member-schools. Special mention here goes out to the fans of UV and USC who watched their hardcourt heroes in droves. CESAFI, the product, has improved dramatically since its first year in 2000, and this is why it is now Cebu’s top basketball attraction. The CESAFI playoffs even managed to draw more fans than games of the PBA and other commercial leagues.
With the formal establishment of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas–Basketball Association of the Philippines (SBP-BAP), one person stood out in the Cebu scene. Yayoy Alcoseba. The unique nickname fits him perfectly to make him stand out as the multi-tasking basketball man for Cebu and the region. Aside from being the SBP-BAP regional director for Central Visayas, he’s also the lead organizer for the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) and the Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA). And we all know him already as the multi-titled coach of the M. Lhuillier ballclub that plays in the MVBA. They recently won the MVBA’s second conference and Christmas Cup championships.
Like him or hate him, one can’t deny that Yayoy yields that influence in dominating the commercial league scene as both an organizer and a coach. And if that isn’t enough, he’s also into the collegiate scene with the ongoing VAAA tournament. While the MVBA and VAAA may not draw full-house crowds, Yayoy has been persistent in providing a venue for more games throughout the basketball calendar.
In other school-based activities, the UV high school team overcame a slow start to win the CESAFI championship over the University of Cebu (UC). People were counting out UV after their so-so performance in the elimination round, losing to USC and UC, and having difficulty against the likes of USPF and CIT. The Baby Lancers, however, found their rhythm, and peaked just in time for the playoffs, and the rest is history. The surprise of the tournament was USC’s finishing the elimination round as the top seed in the playoffs. It isn’t too often to see USC on top of the team standings above the likes of UC, USJR and UV. If only USC had been consistent, we would’ve seen two USC teams in the finals of the CESAFI: high school and collegiate divisions.
The Milo BEST tournament pulled a surprise as the Sacred Heart School-Jesuit (SHSJ) won both the SBP and Pasarelle championships of the Cebu tournament. SHSJ’s SBP team went on to win the Visayas regional championship before placing second to Ateneo de Manila in the national finals. The twin championships have spurred more interest in basketball in a school that doesn’t even have a basketball court at its new campus in Canduman, Mandaue. Moreover, the Cebu youth basketball scene is now getting more crowded with SHSJ stepping up to challenge USC-North Campus, USC-South Campus, UC and USPF for bragging rights.
The year can’t go by without having to also mention a new basketball leader for Cebu in Lorenzo “Chao” Sy. As SBP-BAP’s director for Cebu, he has laid out plans for the province. Ongoing now is the Inter-City tournament featuring a home-and-away format of games among the province’s key cities.
As a whole, Cebu Basketball was a remarkable improvement from 2006. The CESAFI tournament has re-awakened the fire of basketball fans, while the MVBA filled in the gaps with commercial league action. The presence of Yayoy and emergence of Chao Sy has proven that there is no lack of basketball movers.
The big question now is if Cebu Basketball can outdo itself in 2008.
***
Time-out: We would like to greet all our readers a Blessed Christmas! Let’s all remember the real reason for the season: the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com or 0923-342-8193 (for SunCel subscribers).
December 23, 2007
Cebu Basketball in 2007
Cebu Basketball in 2007 will go down the record books as a year featuring basically two major entities on the rise: CESAFI and Yayoy, not in any particular order.
The CESAFI 2007 basketball tournament was the biggest and most successful in Cebu collegiate history, featuring record highs in terms of attendance, competition, support, and over-all impact on the local basketball scene.
Although they were shoo-in favorites to win a seventh straight title, the University of the Visayas Lancers (UV) had to go through some scary moments against both the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) and the University of San Carlos (USC) in the playoffs. UV was stretched to rubber matches against both teams, and if it weren’t for their championship experience and heart, we might have seen a new CESAFI champion this year.
CESAFI’s successful seventh season wouldn’t have been possible without the more balanced competition and the tremendous support coming from the different member-schools. Special mention here goes out to the fans of UV and USC who watched their hardcourt heroes in droves. CESAFI, the product, has improved dramatically since its first year in 2000, and this is why it is now Cebu’s top basketball attraction. The CESAFI playoffs even managed to draw more fans than games of the PBA and other commercial leagues.
With the formal establishment of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas–Basketball Association of the Philippines (SBP-BAP), one person stood out in the Cebu scene. Yayoy Alcoseba. The unique nickname fits him perfectly to make him stand out as the multi-tasking basketball man for Cebu and the region. Aside from being the SBP-BAP regional director for Central Visayas, he’s also the lead organizer for the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) and the Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA). And we all know him already as the multi-titled coach of the M. Lhuillier ballclub that plays in the MVBA. They recently won the MVBA’s second conference and Christmas Cup championships.
Like him or hate him, one can’t deny that Yayoy yields that influence in dominating the commercial league scene as both an organizer and a coach. And if that isn’t enough, he’s also into the collegiate scene with the ongoing VAAA tournament. While the MVBA and VAAA may not draw full-house crowds, Yayoy has been persistent in providing a venue for more games throughout the basketball calendar.
In other school-based activities, the UV high school team overcame a slow start to win the CESAFI championship over the University of Cebu (UC). People were counting out UV after their so-so performance in the elimination round, losing to USC and UC, and having difficulty against the likes of USPF and CIT. The Baby Lancers, however, found their rhythm, and peaked just in time for the playoffs, and the rest is history. The surprise of the tournament was USC’s finishing the elimination round as the top seed in the playoffs. It isn’t too often to see USC on top of the team standings above the likes of UC, USJR and UV. If only USC had been consistent, we would’ve seen two USC teams in the finals of the CESAFI: high school and collegiate divisions.
The Milo BEST tournament pulled a surprise as the Sacred Heart School-Jesuit (SHSJ) won both the SBP and Pasarelle championships of the Cebu tournament. SHSJ’s SBP team went on to win the Visayas regional championship before placing second to Ateneo de Manila in the national finals. The twin championships have spurred more interest in basketball in a school that doesn’t even have a basketball court at its new campus in Canduman, Mandaue. Moreover, the Cebu youth basketball scene is now getting more crowded with SHSJ stepping up to challenge USC-North Campus, USC-South Campus, UC and USPF for bragging rights.
The year can’t go by without having to also mention a new basketball leader for Cebu in Lorenzo “Chao” Sy. As SBP-BAP’s director for Cebu, he has laid out plans for the province. Ongoing now is the Inter-City tournament featuring a home-and-away format of games among the province’s key cities.
As a whole, Cebu Basketball was a remarkable improvement from 2006. The CESAFI tournament has re-awakened the fire of basketball fans, while the MVBA filled in the gaps with commercial league action. The presence of Yayoy and emergence of Chao Sy has proven that there is no lack of basketball movers.
The big question now is if Cebu Basketball can outdo itself in 2008.
***
Time-out: We would like to greet all our readers a Blessed Christmas! Let’s all remember the real reason for the season: the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com or 0923-342-8193 (for SunCel subscribers).
Comments