CEBU, Philippines - The best players, hottest three-point shooters and slam dunk artists of the 11th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. basketball season will show their wares today in the annual CESAFI Light vs. Dark All-Star Games at the Cebu Coliseum.
CESAFI commissioner Felix O. Tiukinhoy, Jr. has made it clear that any coach or player who fails or refuse to participate without valid reason will be penalized by suspension for the rest of the season. Those players of the eliminated teams will serve their suspension in the next season.
The Dark (East) teams swept the Light (West) last year in a rare coincidence as both the high school and collegiate teams won by three points. The East coached by CIT-U's Gilbert Demape defeated the West of USC's Mike Reyes, 70-67, while the high school results also ended in a three-point edge by the East over the West, 82-79.
The contestants for the Slam Dunk contest include Andre Avillanoza, Rene Jun Saycon and Jerome Silva of UV, Rene Pacquiao, Eleazar Armecin and Monbert Arong of SWU, Joven Cid Cortes of USC and Jose Allan Dimco of CIT-U.
Last year's 3-point king was UC's Kelvin Juliane, but he cannot defend his title because he has already graduated.
The entries for the three-point shootout are Gerald Joseph Ampoon and Francis Luigi Bercede of UC, Harold Cincoflores and Phil Mercader of UV, Christian Floyd Taboada and John Michael Graf of CIT-U, Benjamin Capillar and Jayson Olbedado of USJ-R, Giovanni Padillo and June Michael Cantonao of USC, Bonifacio Guillena and Armecin of SWU and Joseph Sedurifa and Randy Avila of USPF.
The official lineup of the Light team of coach Roel Gomez are Junemar Fajardo, Edward Pao, Quinton Brian Heruela and Bercede of UC, Sam Hermosa, Cortes, Cantonao and Padillo of USC, Abulaiz Suliman, Renato Abing, Medjet dela Rama and Olbedado of USJ-R and Cherster Curso, Dimco and Taboada of CIT-U.
The Dark side of coach Felix Belano is composed of Edrian Lao, John Michael Abad, Cincoflores, Silva and Mercader of UV, Justin Aboude, Joseph Nalos, Armecin, Pacquiao and Arong of SWU and Anthony Linao, James Ferraren Avila, Dajalos and Sedurifa of USPF.
In the high school division, the Light team of coach Ramil Rasmo will be manned by Renzar Asilum, Julius Cadavis, Dawn Ochea, Dave Yu and Maverick Suarez of SHS-AdC, Rommel diapera, Winston Bolivar, Fernando Abapo and Edwin Villarta of USPF, Ricky Cuyos, Roland Hermosilla and Karl Viajar of USJ-R and Nikko Otadoy, Gerlad Delima and Mark Kong of CIT-U.
The Dark of coach Delfin Pepito, Jr. is powered by UV's Nelson Peralta, Reeve Ugsang, Dexter Lucero, Paul Desiderio and Lendyl Undaloc, CEC's James Neil sumayang, Luther Huevos, Marvin Bauya, Alfred Sedillo and Rex Villarosa, USC's Ian Ortega and Mark Andersson, DBTC's Jose Marlo Pono and Stepehn Niere and UC's Kurt Ian Trangia.