Yayoy tests new team UC against other Cesafi teams in Southern Leyte

CEBU’S top collegiate basketball squads will be waging war against each other in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte as they vie for top honors in the St. Isidore Parish Fiesta Invitational Cup 2017 on May 27-29 at the Saint Bernard Gymnasium.

The three-day tournament will pit the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, who will go up against four other top Cesafi schools, including the new-look University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters.

The spotlight will be on the Webmasters as they will be seeing action for the first time under the multi-titled head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba.

Interestingly, the tournament will also see Alcoseba going up against his former team Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras.

Alcoseba guided the Cobras to two championship finishes in a five-year stint before leaving SWU in favor of the Webmasters.

Dubbed as “The Place Where Champions Meet,” the tournament will also feature the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors and the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers.

The five teams will play in a single round-robin format with the top teams fighting for the crown and the P100,000 top purse in a sudden-death match.

Losing finalist will get P70,000, while second runner-up will bring home P50,000. A consolation prize of P20,000 will be given away to non-winners.

“With the spirit of joy and thanksgiving, we are holding this inter-collegiate basketball tournament to make the celebration of our annual patronal fiesta more meaning and memorable,” said St. Isidore parish priest Rev. Fr. Joselito C. Catubig in a press statement.

The tournament, now on its fourth year, will be supervised by Van Halen Parmis.

“We want to show that basketball is alive and kicking in this far-flung area of Southern Leyte with a program that is consonance with the vision of our Philippine sports officials.