Pacquiao to hold cage league in Cebu

While boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is in the thick of torrid preparation for his October 6 rematch against Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas, his local coordinators are also very busy cooking up his first basketball league here in Cebu.

Billed as the 1st MP Cup Invitational, the seven-week recreational tournament among cummunity-based and “barkadahan” type of ballclubs is set to take off on October 14 at the University of San Carlos (USC)-Main Gym with no less than the Pacman himself gracing the affair.

“This is Pacquiao’s one way of thanking the Cebuanos for their support and very warm reception to him while he trains here in preparation for the Barrera fight,” said event coordinator George Rama in a meeting at Beehive Restaurant along F. Ramos Street, this city.

To ensure balanced competition, active and former pro, commercial, and collegiate varsity players as well as undertrainees are barred from joining the tilt.

Save for host Team Pacman, among those invited to take part the friendly, but highly competitive hoop event are the Cebu Sports Media Association (CSMA), Cebu Clergy, Iglesia ni Cristo, Jaycees Basketball Association (JBA), Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (CECABA), and San Carlos Boys High Alumni Basketball Association (SCBHABA).

Other groups expected to see action are the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) employees of both Waterfront Lahug and Airport hotels, Team Barkada-Rama Boys, United Architects’ Basketball Club (UABC), and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

The 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six that will play a single round robin in the elimination phase. The two top seeds per bracket will advance into the crossover semifinals, with the winners slugging it out for the championship in a winner-take-all-affair.

On top of personalized trophies bearing Pacquiao’s memento, a total of P100,000 in cash prizes will be handed out to the top three performing teams. The champion will pocket P50,000, while the second and third placers will take home P30,000 and P20,000, respectively.

Personalized plaques and medals will also be given away to the individual awardees such as the tournament and finals MVPs, and Mythical Five members.

To finalize everything, the organizers are requesting all invited clubs to send a representative in their next organizational meeting set at 11:30 am on October 3 at Conching’s Native Restaurant situated in between SM City-Cebu and Whitegold Department Store in North reclamation area. — EBV