CESAFI 2011

It’s CESAFI time again and Cebu’s biggest sports spectacle is underway anew. But what will CESAFI 2011 be like? Aside from who’s favored to win, will there be highlights, sidelights and interesting developments?

As always, basketball will kick things off in this year’s edition of the CESAFI, while all the sports other events follow next month. The non-sports competitions (Yes the CESAFI does have non sports competitions) are held in the second semester. Basketball alone already has its own share of subplots, twists and developments worth following. And it doesn’t start with the defending champs.

Like it or not, easily the biggest story of the season will be Yayoy Alcoseba’s return to the collegiate basketball scene. When asked about this “comeback” of sorts, Coach Yayoy said that it really isn’t a comeback in the strict sense of the word since he has never coached in the CESAFI since its inception in 2000. But we all know how you can’t count out a multi-awarded coach who brought CAAA championships to Cebu Doctors’ College and USJ-R in the past. Once a college coach, always a college coach. But what does this all imply? By going back to the collegiate scene, Coach Yayoy makes the full round circle of the basketball scene. Already a coach for the ML Kwarta Padala ballclub which he has steered to numerous titles, he’s also involved in Cebu City sports as a councilor of the city. He’s also the Regional Manager for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP). His “comeback” also means re-touching base with the other characters of Cebu basketball with who he hasn’t been directly dealing for the past decade. Seeing CESAFI Commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy Jr. and Coach Yayoy seated beside each other at the presscon was a photographer’s delight and scoop of a photo op. ( I wonder if Cyril was able to get a two-shot of the duo.) 

We can expect Coach Yayoy to be just that: Coach Yayoy. And this means being the one of the most colorful coaches in Cebu who’ll try to move everything his way. Aside from leading his wards from a tactical perspective, he’ll be busy doing what he does best: he’ll work the league’s managers and press them to their limits. He’ll challenge every call (questionable or not), work the referees, and get his players (and opponents) fired up. He’ll bring out the frowns on Commissioner’s row and draw the ire of the opposing team’s fans. On top of all these, he’ll also demand for statistics and ask about TV coverage (as he did at the presscon). And before I forget, he’s coaching the deadly Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras. Perfect match of venom for a highly strung coach! I can’t wait to see him in action at his first game on Saturday, August 13. But he’ll also step up to become a Good Samaritan and have Molten become the official ball sponsor of the league. Molten gave one basketball each to all college teams (but they forgot the high school teams). At the end of the day, he’s simply a coach who you love to hate, and hate to love. Many may see him as a pain in the butt, but there really is nothing personal in his antics. That’s just the way he is: all part of a coach’s strategy to win games.

But CESAFI isn’t all about Yayoy. There’s Junemar Fajardo doing a swan song for UC instead of leaving for a more lucrative paycheck (which will come later in January or even earlier). But there’s also 6-7 (or is it 6-8?) Justin Aboude of Cameroon who’ll suit up for SWU. Many say that he could be the key to SWU’s drive for a championship this year. UV will continue to find ways to live in the post-Greg Slaughter era. UV had to settle for second in 2010 after nine years at the top, then brought in alumnus Felix Belano to take over the head coaching chores from the tandem of Boy Cabahug and Al Solis. Will Belano be the cure against UC and SWU?

The high school division was also a big story last year when Cebu Eastern College (CEC) won the championship, completing a nothing-to-something Cinderella story, thanks to the tremendous support of CEC alumni Chester Cokaliong and Frederic Ong Jr. To score a double is achievable this year with its crop of recruits and veterans from last season. Another big story was 2010 runner-up Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC). For the first time in CESAFI history, UC, UV, CIT and USJ-R didn’t make the top two. The Magis Eagles, doormats of the old CAAA who are now enjoying a re-birth in the CESAFI, clashed with CEC in a finals of Cinderella teams, and are also looking forward to scoring a repeat despite losing three key players to San Beda. UV is expected to bounce back this year and is out to humiliate the Cinderella teams to bring back the glory days when they lorded over the high school scene.

So bring on CESAFI 2011: Yayoy, Junemar, Aboude, UC, SWU, UV, CEC, and SHS-AdC. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. The CESAFI 2011 season is on!

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Time-out: Happy birthday to Mylene Bersabal! >>> You can reach me at [email protected].