“We are playing for the Cebuanos”/

Eddiegul defends UV Lancers’ entry in NSBC; Expresses disappointment on CESAFI

University of the Visayas president Eduardo “Eddiegul” R. Gullas enumerated several reasons why the UV Green Lancers joined the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) - organized 62nd National Students Basketball Championship, which is being staged simultaneously at the Cebu Coliseum and Minglanilla Sports Complex.

Chief among them is that he can’t say no to the request of the UV athletic department led by his son Gerald Anthony “Didi” S. Gullas and the team itself to allow them to compete in the week-long tilt.

“I can’t refuse the request of my son Didi, my nephew Jiji, as well as coach Boy (Cabahug) and the players. That’s the reason why we’re joining the BAP National Students Basketball Championships,” said Gullas in a talk with sportswriters at his UV office yesterday.

Also, Gullas said they just heed the clamor of the Cebuano fans who long to see the UV Green Lancers in action especially that the event is being held here.

“Had the tournament been held in Negros or in Manila, probably we won’t participate,” said Gullas. “But the event is being held here and it’s not good to see there is no Cebu representative.”

Gullas said the UV Lancers are playing for the Cebuanos and that their participation is for the love of basketball and nothing else.

“If it were BAP-SBP which organized the event, we would still play.  Our main intent is to play. We are playing for the Cebuanos,” said Gullas. “I don’t play politics in sports. I already have enough politics in the field of public service,” added the highly esteemed solon from the First District of Cebu.

UV’s entry in NSBC has been questioned by some disgruntled quarters, particularly the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI), mainly because it is not sanctioned by the BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

In fact, the CESAFI has locked down its member schools from taking part in NSBC. But UV stood pat on its earlier decision to compete in NSBC with or without CESAFI’s consent.

Interestingly, UV’s decision created a domino effect to other CESAFI members, with the University of San Carlos (USC) and Southwestern University (SWU), which initially threatened to boycott NSBC, making an eleventh hour decision to join the contest.

Gullas said he is aware that the BAP-SBP is the country’s legitimate basketball governing body recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA-Federacion Internationale de Basketball Amateur) that’s why he asked  the blessings of BAP-SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan for UV to join NSBC.

Gullas said Pangilinan did not give his permission officially, but was told by the sports-minded business tycoon that it is the right of UV to see action in NSBC that is staged here through the initiative of noted sports patron and BAP-7 director Lorenzo “Chao” Sy.

“More importantly, the fans want us to play. The Cebuanos fans are hankering for a Cebu team to play (in NSBC),” said Gullas.

Gullas, on the other hand, expressed his disappointment on the way CESAFI deals with its member schools, particularly in disallowing them from competing in other tournaments even if the CESAFI season is already over.

In the original context of the league’s by-laws, all teams are barred from participating in other competitions only while the CESAFI season is ongoing.

“I am the author of that rule when is was still president of CAAA (now the CESAFI). That only holds true during the CESAFI season. The rationale for that is to keep the players in perfect shape,” said Gullas. “Then why is it the CESAFI is preventing us from joining other tournaments even if the CESAFI season is already over?”.

Gullas also scoffed at the rumors that UV won’t be invited to participate in this 2008 CESAFI season as a consequence of its NSBC entry. “Can you do that to a seven-time CESAFI champion,” he asked.