Cebu teams spice up CUBCC tiff

A pair of tough varsity teams from Cebu are coming to further spice up the Colleges and Universities Basketball Challenge Cup set Nov. 9-25 at the Makati Coliseum.

University of Visayas and University of San Jose-Recoletos, finalists in the recently-conluded Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc., are set to represent Visayas in the cagefest pitting the top 16 varsity squads from all over the country.

Their entry brought to 10 the confirmed entries in the tournament, which is a brainchild of former national coach Joe Lipa based on a concept by former Ambassador Danding Cojuangco in 1986 when San Miguel Corp. sponsored the first Inter-Club invitational tournament and resurrected in 1997 as the Philippine Invitational Collegiate Championship.

Already in are Ateneo, La Salle, University of the East and University of Santo Tomas from the UAAP, San Sebastian, College of St. Benilde and Jose Rizal U from the NCAA and University of Manila from the NAASCU.

Still to be decided are the entries from the CUSA and UCAA, as well as those from the Baguio and Davao varsity leagues.

If the deciding game of the CESAFI finals last Saturday is to be the gauge, then expect the two Cebuano teams to lend more than flavor and excitement to the CUBCC.

University of Visayas, coached by former pro Elmer Cabahug and bannered by MVP Neil Raneses, was toting a 60-51 lead going into the last 4:33 of the game when all hell broke loose.

Apparently, a USJR player reacted to a pro-UV fan’s heckling by throwing water at the spectator. This resulted in a debris-throwing incident that forced USJR officials, led by coach Pablo Yu, to concede the game rather than risk injuries to the players.

League officials, led by Atty. Baldomero Espenzo, are still investigating the incident to determine whether penalties are in order.

Their second straight win in the finals enabled the UV Lancers to maintain their unbeaten streak the past three years in the Cebuano leagues, making them a team to watch in the CUBCC.

The CUBCC is sanctioned by the Basketball Association of the Philippines and will be aired live on television via NBN-4.