MVBA pre-season games fire off today at Coliseum

Smarting from a failed title bid in Davao recently, the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Jewelers hope to re-ignite the fire that vaulted them to several championships as they host the North Cotabato Braves in today's opener of the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Second Conference pre-season games.

The Jewelers of businessman-sportsman Michel Lhuillier will tackle the Braves of Governor Manny Piñol at 4:30 pm, right before Philippine Basketball League (PBL) newcomer TeleTech Titans clash with Gensan Pacman of boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao in the main game at 6 pm.

The five-day cagefest will be played at the Cebu Coliseum.

Supposedly, a total of six teams are set to see action in the tournament, but Digos Montaña Pawnshop and Ozamiz Cotta begged off due to undisclosed reasons.

M. Lhuillier, the inaugural MVBA champion, parades a rejuvenated lineup, but it looks like the Jewelers are still in the process of jelling with other other due to the arrival of some recruits.

Once the newcomers have already adjusted to their system, this is for sure a bad news to their rivals as the Jewelers, on paper, boasts of a formidable lineup composed of a deadly four-man guard rotation of Stephen Padilla, Mike Manigo, Woodrow Enriquez and Reed Friar Juntilla.

Adding firepower to their hardcourt weaponry are the likes of Jet Latonio, Ardy Larong, Alano Caputolan, Aldrin Ocañada, Marlon Piodo, Orville Saludsod and Danny Aying.

Later in the day, the TeleTech Giants of coach Jerry Codiñera face a daunting task against MVBA losing finalist Gensan Pacman, a running team powered a prolific outside gunners.

Cebuano fans, however, may root for TeleTech as four "Bisaya" cagers are suiting up for the Titans namely Ronnie Bughao (Cebu), Dominador Javier (Antique) and Jose Magdadaro (Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island), and Jovanie Aguilar (Dumaguete City).

The rest who will carry the fight of TeleTech are Jay-Arr Estrada, Francis Mercado, Rey Mendoza, Ariel Capus, Axel Doruelo, Mike Dizon, Don Villamin and Melchor Latoreno. Before the hardcourt hostilities, a simple opening ceremonies will take place to be graced by Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael L. Rama and MVBA founder and decorated M. Lhuillier coach Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba.

The tournament, held as a runup to the MVBA Second Conference set to kick off next month, will follow a single round robin format with the top two teams setting up a championship showdown in a winner-take-all affair on Saturday.