Former national champions SHS-AdC, UV rout opponents in Cebu leg of NBTC hoop

Two former national champions opened their bid to return to the spotlight of the Seaoil National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) in rousing fashion as the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles and the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers blasted their respective opponents during opening day of the Cebu leg last Sunday at the Magis Eagles gym at the SHS-AdC campus in Canduman, Mandaue City.

Itching for action following the postponement of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) juniors division games last October, the Magis Eagles vented their ire upon the hapless Don Bosco Greywolves, 82-24, while the Green Lancers barely broke a sweat in routing the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, 69-53.

SHS-AdC won the national crown back in 2011 and 2012 but had its bid for a rare “three-peat” derailed last March by the mighty Hope Christian School, 66-73, in the semifinals of the national tournament held at the Ynares Sports Arena.

The national title was eventually won by the powerhouse San Beda Red Cubs.

In the other game of the triple-header last Sunday, another Cesafi contender, the Britt Reroma-mentored University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors, routed the Abellana National School, 100-65.

However, two other Cesafi teams, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation and Cebu Eastern College were not allowed to compete as they did not attend the NBTC coaches convention held last October, which was a prerequisite.

Another Cesafi school, the University of Cebu, actually joined the convention but declined to compete in the tournament.

The tournament will be a single round-robin format with the winner and runner-up of the Cebu leg advancing to the nationals scheduled for March 6 to 9 in Manila.