Cesafi hoop semis gets underway

Games today:

Cebu Coliseum

5 p.m. – SHS-AdC vs. CEC (Jrs.)

6:30 p.m. – UV vs. UC (Srs.)

THE INTENSITY is expected to be bumped up to a whole new level today as the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) semifinal round  gets started with a pair of games that is being highlighted by the match between the defending champions University of Cebu Webmasters and the top-seeded University of the Visayas Green Lancers in seniors action at the Cebu Coliseum.

The fun and games are all but over as the remaining four teams in the seniors and juniors divisions fight for the top two spots in a single round-robin affair. The top two teams after this stage will get to advance to the best-of-five championship series.

The juniors tournament also kicks into high gear today with the undefeated Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles taking on their Chinese school rivals, the Cebu Eastern College Dragons, in the curtain-raiser at 5 pm.

The Green Lancers have yet to taste defeat in the tournament this year but came pretty close to it in their match against the Webmasters in the elimination round.

Though UV won that game, 86-80, UC had every shot at snatching the win until guard Eman Calo drained a cold-blooded three-pointer from the corner in the game’s dying seconds.

Expected to carry the burden for UC is  all-star guard Brian Heruela, who will need much support from his mates if they are to hack out an upset today. UV, on the other hand, will be a tough nut to crack with the presence of Calo, John Abad and Phil Mercader, not to mention brawny and skilled frontcourt men, Wowie Escosio, Jerome Silva and Steve Akomo. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio