Batch ‘88, Class 2004 clash in opener of Cecaba q’final

THE intensity is expected to be ratcheted up a notch as the playoffs in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 12th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup kicks off today at the City Sports Club-Cebu.

Five teams led by the top seeded New Millennium Hardware ’95 (14-1) will be armed with twice-to-beat incentives over lower-ranked squads.

The rest of the qualifiers that will enjoy similar advantage going into the next phase of the tournament are the First Family Appliance Circle ’96 (12-3), Shell ’80s, Dimsum Frito 2003, and Dewfoam ’88 (10-5).

Class ’80s and 2003 actually ended the elimination round with identical 11-4 (win-loss) records, but the Shell-backed side skippered by Chester C. Cokaliong got the higher placing by virtue of a simple tie.

Today, the fifth-seed Dewfoam ’88 goes to war against the 6th ranked Best World Lifestyle 2004 while the Class ’96 takes on the 9th seeded JV Shop N Shop.

Class ’95 will see action on Tuesday against the 10th seed Jepoy ’99 at 7:30pm, right before the game between the fourth-ranked Class 2003 and the 7th seed M16 Disco/Las Vegas KTV ’94 at 9pm.

The winners in the crossover quarterfinals will play another single round robin in the semifinals. The top two finishers will then slug it out for the championship in a best-of-three series, while the No.3 and No.4 will figure in a sudden-death duel for third place.  /Correspondent Jonas Panerio