The brand-new season of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. got off to an interesting start yesterday as its launching press conference at the Linea Restaurant at the Cebu IT Park got a no-show from its top two contenders for the collegiate title, University of the Visayas and Southwestern University.
The nine-time Cesafi champions UV Green Lancers and last year’s losing finalists SWU Cobras were being tipped by the coaches and school officials that were present during the event yesterday as the teams most likely to dominate this season.
However, the two schools were conspicuous with their absence, which drew the ire of league commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy.
“It’s hard to bring in and invite professional coaches. Perhaps they think that they are higher than the Cesafi. This press conference was intended for their schools. I hope that next time, they should be here,” said Tiukinhoy during yesterday’s event sponsored by Globe Telecom, represented by Ms. Cleofe Alviso.
Cebu Daily News was able to talk to SWU’s athletic director Ryan Aznar and UV’s team manager and assistant vice president for finance and administration Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas, to get their sides about their failure to send representatives.
Aznar said that he just arrived from Manila yesterday afternoon and saw the memo late while Gullas admitted he was supposed to attend but had to be present at a funeral for a relative. Also absent was a representative from the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation.
Those present were University of San Jose-Recoletos head coach Edito Salacut and athletic director Dioscoro Himotas, Cebu Institute of Technology-University athletic director Alecks dela Torre and assistant coach Bem Alcaraz, University of Cebu assistant coach Jover Samonte and the University of San Carlos’ new head coach Julian Macoy. Also there were high school coaches Jun Pepito of the defending champions UV Baby Lancers and Rommel Rasmo of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles.
In spite of the absence of the aforementioned schools, Tiukinhoy expressed his excitement for the upcoming season especially with the presence of the four foreigners playing for the different Cesafi schools.