Exciting match-up between old rivals to highlight start of Cesafi basketball tournament
The Office of the Commissioner of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) released yesterday the schedule of the games of the upcoming Cesafi basketball season.
And fans are going to be happy knowing that they won’t have to wait long for the finals rematch in the collegiate division as the reigning champions, University of the Visayas Green Lancers, open their season with a match against finals nemesis, University of San Carlos Warriors, on August 6, a day after the league opens.
After the league opens with a blockbuster between Southwestern University-Phinma and University of Cebu on August 5, UV takes the court the following day, hoping for a repeat of their 3-1 conquest of USC in last year’s finals showdown
The first of two highly anticipated showdowns between blood rivals UV and SWU-Phinma commences on August 27. They once again face off in the second round on September 26.
Although much has changed on the Cobras’ side, with the departure of two-time Cesafi MVP Macmac Tallo and their head coach, Yayoy Alcoseba, the animosity between these two teams is expected to be fresh and ripe.
The high school division’s fiercest rivalry will take the stage on August 20 when the four-time defending champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles battle the UV Baby Lancers.
The college division has retained a double round-robin format for the elimination round but scratched the quarterfinals and amended the semifinal format, turning it into a crossover match-up between the one-seed and the four-seed, and the two-seed and the three-seed.
The top two teams after the elims will be awarded with a twice-to-beat bonus.
The high school division format will still have a single round-robin and will also adapt the same playoff format as their older counterparts.
The finals in both divisions will be best-of-three affairs.