Hontiveros reflects on Sinulog Cup success amidst stiff competition

Cebu City Vice Mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros poses with the RKF Iloilo during the awarding ceremony of the Sinulog Cup 2025 Basketball Tournament. | By Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu City Vice Mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros expressed mixed emotions about the successful conclusion of the 2025 Sinulog Cup Basketball Tournament, which faced stiff competition from the simultaneously held inaugural Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia Invitational Basketball Tournament.

Speaking after the championship game, Hontiveros acknowledged the challenges of organizing the annual event during the election season. While he anticipated some hurdles, he admitted being caught off guard by the emergence of a rival tournament coinciding with the Sinulog Cup.

“It’s tough because it’s election season. We can’t stop others from organizing their own leagues, but I was surprised there was another tournament happening at the same time,” Hontiveros said in Cebuano.

READ: RKF Iloilo captures Sinulog Cup 2025 crown in nail-biting finale

The vice mayor, a former PBA and Gilas Pilipinas star, reiterated his vision of expanding the Sinulog Cup if given the opportunity to serve another term.

“If I get re-elected as vice mayor, we’ll push to grow these tournaments further. But for now, the situation is quite challenging,” he added.

READ: Sinulog Cup: UC bulldozes Cebu City Selection to secure 3rd place

SINULOG CUP CHAMPIONS

Amid the scheduling conflict, RKF Iloilo emerged as the Sinulog Cup champions, defeating Welec X AMC, 74-69, in a hard-fought final.

The victory not only earned the team the P200,000 top prize but also marked a historic milestone as the first non-Cebu team to claim the title.

READ: Sinulog Cup 2025: RKF, Welec clinch crucial wins

However, their path to victory was anything but smooth.

RKF Iloilo found itself navigating a grueling weekend, playing two games in a single day across the two tournaments. In a strategic decision, the team had to lose a game in the Mayor Raymond Garcia Cup to rest their key players for the Sinulog Cup finals later that evening—a gamble that ultimately paid off.

“The games became more competitive as we approached the championship, and I’m very thankful to the Sinulog Foundation Inc. for supporting this tournament,” Hontiveros said.

“As a former player, it’s great to see leagues like this providing opportunities for players to showcase their skills,” he added.

Aside from basketball, Hontiveros and the Sinulog Foundation Inc. also successfully launched the inaugural Sinulog Cup Men’s Volleyball Tournament earlier this month, attracting 14 teams and adding another feather to the event’s cap.

Still, the tournament season seemed to be a tale of two camps. Just a week after the volleyball tournament, another volleyball league—organized by Mayor Garcia’s team—kicked off at the University of San Jose-Recoletos Basak Campus.