Home 
Games today:
4 p.m. – UC vs. USP (Juniors)
5:30 p.m. – UV vs. USC (Seniors)
The eighth season of Cebu’s premier inter-school athletic competition opens with a bang as a rivalry that has been the face of the league over the past two years will be rekindled once again in the kickoff of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament today at the Cebu Coliseum.
Seven-time champion University of the Visayas (UV), armed with a shorter but speedier lineup, will have their bid for an eighth title put to an acid test early on, as it battles the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors in the main game of today’s.
With their triumvirate of giants gone, the Lancers of multi-titled head coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug will now turn to their cache of hardened veteran guards led by Chris Diputado, Von Lanete and Ritchum Dennison.
And with the steady inside presence of pivot Greg Slaughter, and the addition of former junior MVPs Harold Cincoflores and Phil Mercader, the Lancers remain a dangerous squad and is considered by majority of the coaches in the league to be the team to beat this season.
On the other hand, the Warriors have gone out and improved their roster as they try to capture their first ever crown after two unsuccessful tries.
With top scorer Nino Ramirez having exhausted his playing years, USC ‘s offense will now be anchored on the broad shoulders of two-time MVP Enrico Llanto.
He will not be alone though, as they have also added Fil-Aussie wingman Emel Rowe, streak shooter Michael Cantonao and forward Cid Cortes.
The curtain raiser will see a juniors division battle between last season’s runner-up team, the University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters and the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers. Correspondent Jonas Panerio
