Basketball 24-8

Bleacher Talk
Sept. 27, 2009

Basketball 24-8

Cebu Basketball is busy 24/8; sorry it’s not 24/7. Let me explain.

In the next few days, we’re going to be bombarded with crunchtime news updates as Cebu’s school-based basketball leagues shift into high gear. It’s playoffs time in Cebu’s leading collegiate league CESAFI for its collegiate and high school divisions. This weekend also marks the start of the cross-over semifinals of the Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP) and Passerelle divisions of the Milo BEST SBP/Passerelle Twin Tournaments. Although the ordinary fan may see both leagues as totally distinct from one another (and they are), we’d rather see it from a total and bigger picture perspective as a single and cohesive program that works well for Cebu Basketball.

A look at the teams in playoffs of both leagues will give us a better picture at what I mean. UC, UV, USJR and USC are the seeded teams in the quarterfinals of CESAFI’s collegiate division. They’ll face the lower seeded teams in Don Bosco, USPF, CIT and SWU. The ages of the college players range from 18-24 years old. In the CESAFI high school playoffs, UC, UV, CIT and USJR hold twice-to-beat advantages over Don Bosco, USPF, USC, and Sacred Heart School Jesuit (SHSJ). Ages of the players here are between 15-17.

Moving down an age group to boys between 13-15 years old, the Milo BEST Passerelle division cross-over semifinals sees SHSJ going up against UC, and USC North facing Don Bosco today. In the age bracket for 8-12 year old boys, USC North played SHSJ, and Don Bosco faced off against USC South yesterday.

Did you see any difference among the initials of all the schools listed above? If you take a closer look, you’ll notice that most of the schools have programs in at least three of the four age groups. USC is listed as a seeded team in all age groups: from collegiate all the way down to SBP. UC is a top seed in the college and high school divisions, and is also considered as a pre-tournament favorite the Milo BEST Passerelle division. SHSJ is considered an underdog in the high school and SBP divisions, but is a top seed in the Passerelle playoffs. Don Bosco is a lower seeded team in the college, high school and Passerelle divisions, but is a top seed in the SBP.

USJR is playing in CESAFI’s seniors and juniors divisions, and also has a Passerelle team that made its debut in the Milo BEST tournament. Cebu Eastern College (CEC) also played in the juniors division of CESAFI and the SBP age group (they don’t have a college). Other schools with presence in at least three age groups above are USPF and CIT. The only CESAFI teams that don’t participate in the Passerelle and SBP divisions are UV and SWU although SWU played as a guest team in the Milo BEST last year and also plays in the CYBL.

So what? One might ask. What does this all mean?

If one takes a look at the bigger picture of things, he can’t help but notice that Cebu has the structure and programs that can and will complement each other if and when treated to work as one big program. The products of the SBP and Passerelle divisions are eventually those who move up to the juniors and seniors level of the CESAFI. While we’re not going to claim to be the next producers of the country’s future stars, the important element is that the structure is right there even if it wasn’t somehow set up for that purpose “intentionally.” All these age groups work independently of each other oblivious of the fact that they all stand to benefit from each other. The best examples will always come from Manila. Many of today’s PBA players were products of the age group basketball programs that were composed of both clinics and tournaments. Today’s younger crop of players fresh from this set-up include Joseph Yeo, Jonas Villanueva, Marcy Arellano, TY Tang, Enrico Villanueva, Larry Fonacier and company. At the local level, USC stands out as having produced players from SBP all the way up to the seniors level. Fresh in our memory is how the combo of Enrico Llanto and Niño Ramirez carried the colors of green and gold of USC since their grade school days and came close to toppling UV in a couple of CESAFI Finals series. Dondon Hontiveros played for Don Bosco in the high school level before playing for the UC collegiate team. We also have a number of collegiate and juniors players who gained their experience during their SBP and Passerelle years.

Sportsmen love to talk about “grassroots development” and youth-centered programs. Well for Cebu Basketball, it’s already there. We just need to work more closely together to make everything synch with each other. I hope that our local basketball leaders take notice of this scenario and find ways to nurture and care for it. The set-up is right there, always ready, 24/8.

oOo

Time-out: Happy birthday to Fr. Ernie Javier S.J. on the 29th. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.