CESAFI stars collide with Fajardo-led Petron today

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuano hoop fans brace for a highly entertaining hardcourt action as the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. selection will collide with the Petron Plaze Boosters of the PBA highlighting today's CESAFI All-Star Games at the Cebu Coliseum.

This marks for the first time in Cebu collegiate basketball history that the CESAFI stars will go up against a top caliber team from the pro league.

Adding flavor to the keenly-awaited showdown is June Mar Fajardo, who will be donning the Petron Blaze Boosters' jersey this time.

The 6-foot-9 skyscraper from Pinamungajan recently etched his name in stone as the first Cebuano cager to emerge as the No.1 overall pick in the PBA Draft.

During his five-year stint in the CESAFI that ended just last year, Fajardo guided the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters to back-to-back championships. Afterwhich, he had a brief tour of duty with San Miguel Beer in the Asean Basketball League (ABL) before his ground-breaking move to the PBA.       

Fajardo will play alongside Chico Lanete Arwind Santos, Danny Ildefonso, Dorian Peña, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Alex Cabagnot, Dennis Miranda, Joseph Yeo, Paolo Hubalde, Axel Doruello, RJ Rizada and Jojo Duncil.

Fajardo and his gang will strut their wares against the best and brightest players the CESAFI could offer this season.

They are Jhon Michael Abad, Eman Calo, Phil Mercader, 6-foot-7 Nigerian recruit Steve Cedrick Akomo, Hernal "Wowie" Escosio, Jerome Silva and Rene Saycon from the UV, Abulaiz Suliman and Miguel Tabaloc from USJ-R, Monbert Arong and 6-foot-6 Cameroonian banger Justin Aboude from the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras, Quinton Brian Heruela of USC, June Michael Cantonao of USC, Allan Dimco of CIT-U, and Joseph Sedurifa of USPF.

UV Lancers head coach Felix "Donbel" Belano, Jr. will call the shots for the CESAFI side.

The annual spectacle starts at 1pm featuring the North versus South All-Star duel in the juniors division.

The exciting side events such as the Slam Dunk contest and the 3-point shootout will be done in between the All-Star Games.— with Gabby G. Malagar