Bigger and better 2nd Gov’s Cup hoopfest unfolds Sunday

The mayors and sports coordinators that will participate in the upcoming 2nd Governor’s Cup Inter Cities-Municipalities basketball tournament pose together with CPSC officials during the final coordination meeting yesterday at the Golden Prince Hotel.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

THE Governor’s Cup 21 and Under Inter-City/Municipality Basketball Tournament created a positive impact and awareness among various towns and cities in the Cebu province during its successful inaugural year in 2017.

This, according to Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) Executive Director Atty. Ramil Abing, who spearheaded the final coordination meeting and press conference for this year’s edition at the Golden Prince Hotel yesterday.

From 37 teams last year, the event attracted 10 more for a total of 47 teams in this year’s second edition of the cash-rich basketball tournament that will unfold this Sunday at the Cebu Coliseum.

“We are very happy that our efforts in Cebu Province for sports development has paid off because a lot of LGU’s and its sports commissions are now more aware and more active in sports because of the Governor’s Cup,” said Abing.

“It created a positive impact in the community in a sense that they are fully aware of sports right now compared to before. In fact, there are some LGU’s that were hesitant to join the Governor’s Cup, but their youth encouraged them to join so there is really a clamor in the basketball community.”

Abing added that a lot of coaches and scouts are excited to watch the games and discover potential players who they can recruit.

The 10 new teams will be coming from Carcar City, Moalboal, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Cordova, Aloguinsan, Daan Bantayan, San Francisco, Poro and Catmon.

For smooth supervision of the tournament which will have more games than the first edition, CPSC added several Deputy Commissioners, namely Van Halen Parmis, Albert Allocillo, Lou Regidor, Felix Donbel Belano and Laurence Merced. They will join existing Deputy Commissioners Julian Macoy and Ed Aguelo along with Chief Commissioner Danny Duran.

Aside from the two regular games, the opening ceremonies this Sunday will feature an exhibition game between the mayors of the participating cities and towns and the board members of the Cebu Provincial government.

The regular games will have Santa Fe facing Bantayan Island in the north division bracket 2 while Boljoon will be going up against Alcoy in the south division bracket 2.

Cebu Province Gov. Hilario Davide III and CPSC chairman Michel Lhuillier will lead the ceremonial toss during the opening ceremonies.

The top two teams in each bracket will receive cash prizes as well as the elite eight or the top four teams in both the south and north divisions.

The champion team will receive a whopping P500,000 purse while the runner-up will get P300,000, P200,000 for the third placer and P100,000 for the fourth placer.