UV begins title bid vs. USPF

CEBU, Philippines - Nine-time champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers open their title campaign against the underdog University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers in the lone collegiate match of the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men's basketball tournament today at the Cebu Coliseum.

In the first game at 5 pm, the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors hope to duplicate the rare two-game winning run they accomplished last year when they go up against the USPF Baby Panthers. The Baby Warriors pulled off a 120-54 blowout of the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars during the season-opener last Sunday.

The Lancers of coach Felix "Donbel" Belano are considered as the strongest championship contender that even in the pre-season news stories, they and the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras are already matched together as the shoo-ins to the finals.

No doubt the Lancers could win against the Panthers, but the game that the Cebuanos are waiting will be the UV-SWU collision. Both teams have formidable lineups that could give justice to the observers' predictions.

The Lancers have a 6-foot-7 Nigerian in Steve Cedrick Akomo to play alongside 6-foot-5 muscleman Hernan "Wowie" Escocio. They also have Rene Saycon and Andrew Avillanoza as centers, making them the tallest team in the league.

After clinching an unprecedented nine straight CESAFI crown from 2001 to 2009, the Lancers were dethroned by the Webmasters in 2010 and were eliminated by the Cobras last year in a fight-marred fiasco.

This time, in his second year as head coach, Belano is seeking for a redemption.