CUBA First Conference basketball tournament to kick off Feb. 2

It’s all systems go for the First Conference of the 2008 Cebu United Bankers Association (CUBA) basketball tournament at 10 am on February 2 at the Our Lady of Sacred Heart Gym along Escario Street, this city.

A total of seven teams will take part in the competition that follows a single round robin format in the elimination round. The top two will gain automatic semifinal berths, while the third and fourth seeds will enjoy twice-to-beat advantage over the lower-ranked squads in the playoffs.

Only the seventh team will be eliminated outright. The championship and third place battle are both a winner-take-all affair.

Among those vying for hardcourt supremacy in CUBA’s initial offering of the year together with their respective team captains are Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI) of Rey Castillano, Allied Bank of Sydney Benatiro, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) of Eric Machado, CUBA 1 (Kings) of Alex Macaling, CUBA 2 (Wealth Bank) of Richard Allera, CUBA 3 (Spurs) of Arthur Tapaya, and CUBA 4 (Nets) of Bong Bacalla.

The man in charge of running the tournament is commissioner Ramonito Cataros assisted by Robert Rafson Chua (co-captain of CUBA 1 Kings), Edwin Mabanto, Edmond Teczon, Randy Lim, and Edgar Olalo.

Trophies and medals await the top performing teams and individual achievers such as the conference and Finals MVPs and the Mythical Five members.— EBV