‘Big Cats’ collide in CESAFI

CEBU, Philippines - Two more teams are set to debut today - this time a collision of big cats when the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats battle the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars in the resumption of the 13th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men's basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.

Before the Wildcats and the Jaguars claw each other at 6:45 pm, the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers shoot for their second straight win when they take on the USJ-R Baby Jaguars in the opening match at 5 pm.

No one knows yet what's the strength or deepness of the Jaguars because they finished at the bottom of the standings in the CESAFI Partner's Cup, the league's pre-season tournament three months ago.

In sharp contrast, the Wildcats made it all the way to the Partner's Cup finals only to be swept by the more formidable Prime Asia-UV Green Lancers in their best-of-three series.

But for the first time in four years, the Wildcats will be playing without their most consistent scorer in Allan Dimco, who was found ineligible to play for failing to meet the academic requirements set by the league.

Thus, the Wildcats will have to count the most from their old gun in Vincent Menguito and promising rookie Joshua de la Cerna.

The Jaguars, for their part, will bank on the likes of Rendell Senining and Fletcher Galvez alongside Miguel  Tabaloc, Wilkins Sanchez, James Regalado, Christian Senining and the Parker brothers Matthew and Christian as they seek to get off to a flying start this season. (FREEMAN)