Cesafi 2024 season likely to kick off in September

UV Green Lancers and UC Webmasters players battle for a rebound in last December’s men’s basketball finals. | Photo from Sugbuanong Kodaker

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) 2024 season will likely start in September just like the previous season.

This was revealed by Cesafi Deputy Commissioner Danny Duran who was one of the venue managers of the Palarong Pambansa’s secondary boys basketball held at the University of San Carlos (USC) Main Campus gymnasium.

Although no formal announcement has been made, Duran said that he Cesafi 2024 season will start in September with no exact date yet.

READ: UV is Cesafi 2023 men’s basketball champion, beats UC in Game 3

He explained in a brief interview that they are looking at the school calendar for school year 2024-2025. He added that they would love to hold Cesafi on an earlier date so they can also finish the games within the year.

However, their schedule will be based on the school calendar.  Still, he expressed optimism that if the school calendar returns to its June-April timeline, they can also start to re-adjust Cesafi’s schedule to an earlier month.

READ: CESAFI 2023: Longer, more competitive season with new member schools joining the action

Cesafi 2023

The Cesafi 2023 season’s marquee sports event, the basketball at the Cebu Coliseum wrapped up a week before Christmas, while the volleyball competition finished last February 2024.

READ: USC harvests 39 gold medals, rules Cesafi swimming tilt anew

To recall, the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers extended their reign in the men’s basketball after winning the title against their rivals, the University of Cebu (UC), in three games in the finals.

Meanwhile, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) completed their second three-peat in high school basketball after beating UV Baby Lancers in three finals games which also saw the last year for the country’s top high school player Jared Bahay.

Volleyball tournaments

On the other hand, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) achieved a very rare feat after winning three titles in the secondary men’s, and high school boys and girls’ volleyball tournaments.

Despite their success, USJ-R faced a controversy when one of its men’s basketball players, EJ Agbong was caught submitting falsified records to play for the team and in the Cesafi, resulting in his immediate ban.

Also stealing the spotlight last season was the University of San Carlos (USC) men’s football team etching their historic 6-peat title.

Besides that, three new schools in Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges, Felipe R. Verallo Foundation College, and the Benedicto College officially entered Cesafi as three new member schools.

Aside from the centerpiece sports such as basketball and volleyball, Cesafi also features athletics, badminton, beach volleyball, chess, dancesport, football, futsal, karatedo, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, and Esports.