14th CESAFI season takes off Aug. 2

CEBU, Philippines - The 12th season of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc.  will kick off the centerpiece basketball event on August 2 at the Cebu Coliseum.

The University of the Visayas Green Lancers will be campaigning for an unprecedented 11th crown, nine of them in consecutive years under coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug.

CESAFI commissioner Felix "Boy" O. Tiukinhoy, Jr. said there will be nine high school teams participating and seven collegiate squads until such time the University of Southern Philippines Foundation will reconsider its decision to disband.

In the event the USPF is not available, Tiukinhoy said they will go on with only six teams and the format will be a double round robin series.

There is no defending champion in the high school division because the tournament wasn't finished last year  because of the temporary restraining order  issued by the court against the league. This is relative to the case filed by the parents of USC player Scott Aying against the CESAFI.

The court has ordered the league to allow Aying to suit up for the Baby Warriors, but the CESAFI defied such ruling as Aying, from the very start, has been disqualified to play for violating the league's residency rules.

The court's decision on the issue is still pending up to this moment. This means that Aying still cannot play for his team this season until the case is resolved.

On the other hand, Tiukinhoy confirmed CESAFI's plan to bar imports from playing in the league most probably by 2016.

Tiukinhoy also announced that he will allow the CESAFI teams to play both in Compostela and Cordova as part of their pre-season buildup.

The Compostela tilt will start this week, while hardcourt action in Cordova will commence next month. (FREEMAN)