Webmasters off to Champions League

In high spirits, the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters leave for Manila today to open their title campaign against last year's NCAA champion Letran Knights in the annual Collegiate Champions League.

Although the tournament officially starts today with two games scheduled at the Emilio Aguinaldo College gym, the Webmasters of coach Roel Gomez will face Letran tomorrow yet at 2 pm at the Ateneo Loyola gym in Quezon City.

The Webmasters made it into the so-called Sweet 16 the hard way, booting out Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) losing finalist University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors via a 93-90 thriller last October 2 at the Cebu Coliseum.

UC earlier knocked out Bacolod champion West Negros College (WNC) Mustangs, 84-76, set up a USC duel.

Still in the euphoria of their great escape over the Warriors, the Webmasters could only hope that their arsenals will be fully loaded especially their outside shooters to offset their inferior ceiling.

Allain Abellanosa has already sharpened his sword, thus, he is is expected to come up with a razor-sharp performance on both ends of the court.

Of course, Abellanosa needs the support of Jonathan Canceran, Jared Kane Abatayo, Janssen Abella and Marvin Ceniza for them to achieve their goal.

The odds somehow are in favor of UC as Letran will be playing without three of its key players in Boyet Bautista, Aaron Aban and Jonathan Aldave, who are already in the pro ranks.

Meanwhile, it will be the turn of the six-time CESAFI champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers to leave for Manila this Sunday. UV defeated the Philippine Christian University (PCU) Dolphins last year for its best finish in the league at third.

The Lancers will go up against the Adamson University Falcons led by UAAP MVP Ken Bono on Monday at the UST gym, home of the newly-crowned UAAP champions University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers.

For the past three years, the Lancers failed to reach the finals because they would always get hacked by Manila teams that include the University of the East (UE) Warriors, the led by reigning PBA MVP James Yap, the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws and San Sebastian College.

UV head coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug is hoping that things would turn in their favor this time as they seek history in another dimension.