The coaches of the participating teams and organizers of the 4th San Remigio Properties Inc. Invitational basketball tournament during the press conference. | Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Taiwanese high school basketball squad National Yilan School looks for a long-term partnership with Cebu’s Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) for further basketball development.
This is after the visiting Taiwanese squad takes on SHS-AdC Magis Eagles, the University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters and the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Green Lancers in the fourth San Remigio Properties Invitational Basketball Tournament which kicks off on Friday, July 7, 2023, at the Magis Eagles Arena in Mandaue City.
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Why Yilan wants to play with Magis Eagles
One of Yilan’s coaches Te Chi Lin said that they had chosen to play against the Magis Eagles and the two other Cebu-based squads to experience the Filipino brand of basketball as part of their experience to learn new systems and style of plays.
“We chose to come here, because we heard Sacred Heart School is the very best in Cebu. We’ve seen their players, especially in the Cesafi, we’re impressed and we want to experience to play against them,” said Lin during the presser of the tournament at the San Remigio Pension Suites on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
Along with Lin was his fellow coach Chin Kai Yu, the organizer, Marc Anthony Ynoc of San Remigio Properties, and SHS-AdC Magis Eagles head coach Rommel Rasmo.
Also present during the presser were SHS-AdC athletic director John Ralp Christopher Inot, UV Baby Green Lancers head coach Delfin Pepito Jr., and UC Baby Webmasters head coach Jover Samonte.
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Taiwan High School team’s preparations
“We’re preparing one month before this tournament. We want to see our players improve in skills, and for them to bring back their knowledge in basketball. We also appreciate UV and UC for participating in this tournament, giving our players more playing experience and to learn from your schools to further strengthen their team, ” said Lin.
He also invited other schools in Taiwan to travel to Cebu in the future as they were optimistic to forge a long-term partnership with the SHS-AdC and other Cebu-based high school teams.
For his part, Ynoc organized the tournament to provide Cebu-based teams, including his alma mater, SHS-AdC a quality tune-up tilt before the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) regular season in September.
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Tuneup games for CESAFI
“This is a good chance for us, the Magis Eagles, of course our friends from UV and UC to be able to play with our friends from Taiwan. They want to come here to get to taste Cebu’s brand of basketball. I hope we can give them a good game,” said Ynoc.
Samonte and Pepito are also thankful for the opportunity to become part of this year’s tournament as it will also give their team, especially their new players quality tune-up games before the Cesafi season.
The tournament which has a free admission will have the National Yilan School and UC Baby Webmasters providing the tip-off action on Friday at 1:30 PM, followed by SHS-AdC vs. UV at 3:00 PM.
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