Tertiary champ UC faces USJ-R today

Games today:

Cebu Coliseum)

4 p.m. – CEC vs. UV (jrs.)

5:30 p.m. – USJ-R vs. UC (srs.)

After a long off season, Cebu’s best collegiate basketball players will once again don their school’s colors for pride and glory as the 11th season of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) opens this afternoon at the Cebu Coliseum.

Last year’s champions in both the juniors and seniors divisions are set to kick off their respective title campaigns with games today.

The Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons will be taking on the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers while the seniors titlists University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters battle the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars.

The Dragons of head coach Jerry Jaranilla encountered some rough waters in the off season as five of their players were originally deemed ineligible for this season.

However, good fortune smiled upon the Easternians as three of the five were able to present the  documents to prove their eligibility.

Still, CEC’s chances hinge largely on the play of their veteran slotman the crafty Lyle Sumayang, who is expected to step up in the absence of four of their stars last year, including MVP Nike Montalvo.

Meanwhile, UC will still rely largely on their man in the middle, the 6-foot-10 MVP Junemar Fajardo, who is playing in his last year for the Webmasters.

Also back to banner the Webmasters’ campaign for back-to-back titles are Edward Pao, Brian Heruela and Luigi Bercede.

Before the hostilities start, there will be a mass that will be offered at 1 p.m. followed by the opening ceremonies for all the sports.