CEBU - The third season of the Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA) men’s basketball tournament is left without a defending champion after the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers decided to back out of the Visayas-wide league tentatively set to kick off on November 22 at the Cebu Coliseum.
“That is the recommendation of Sir Didi (Gullas) and I approved it for the reason that he’s the one in charge of the Green Lancers,” said UV president Eduardo “Eddiegul” R. Gullas without further elaborating the main reason of their sudden withdrawal.
Eddiegul was referring to his son Gerald Anthony “Didi” S. Gullas, the team manager of the UV Green Lancers who also serves as the school’s assistant vice president for finance and administration. “What the Green Lancers are today, it’s because of Didi. Whatever his decisions are, I will support it,” added Eddiegul.
Gullas explained that UV’s participation in the VAAA cage wars last year was based on valid grounds.
“We joined the VAAA last year out of spite for the CESAFI,” admitted Gullas. “When our player (Morsie Akad) suffered a knee injury during the Partner’s Cup, UV spent a substantial amount for his hospital bills but the CESAFI gave only a very small amount.”
Gullas added that when the VAAA was staged, the CESAFI season was already over and they found VAAA as an added exposure for their players.
“Lastly, Sir Didi listened to the clamor of the Cebuano basketball fans, who want to see the Green Lancers play against the other teams from the Visayas region. These are all the valid reasons why we can’t say no to VAAA last year,” said Gullas.
VAAA founder and legendary coach Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba declined to comment on UV’s pulling the plug this time around on the league sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and bankrolled by M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala.
Alcoseba earlier acknowledged that the level of competition in VAAA will be greatly affected without the entry of CESAFI teams, but he remains hopeful that the Board will reconsider its decision.
Fortnight ago, the CESAFI Board passed a resolution prohibiting its member schools from seeing action in the VAAA.
Inspite of that, several CESAFI teams still signified their intent to compete in VAAA. But CESAFI president Rolando Villa of the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) issued a strong statement to all concerned parties to respect the Board’s decision or face serious consequences for their actions that are contrary to the league’s policy. (EBV) (THE FREEMAN)