Landmark PCCL games set in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuano basketball fans will be treated to five days of exciting hardcourt action beginning November 13 as the Queen City of the South will host the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Elite Eight Series-Cebu Leg at the Cebu Coliseum.

This is the first time that Cebu will host the basketball tournament since PCCL’s inception in 2002.

PCCL chairman Rey Gamboa officially launched the staging of the  PCCL Elite Eight during a press conference yesterday at the Hotel Fortuna.

Five of the best teams from Manila and the top three teams from the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) will all be aiming for the national title this year.

Gamboa said that it was University of Cebu Webmasters team manager lawyer Baldomero C. Estenzo who kept on pleading to the PCCL organizers to bring here to Cebu the Elite Eight to let the Cebu teams feel the home court advantage.

The Manila teams to see action in the Elite Eight are UAAP Season 77 champion National University Bulldogs and runner-up Far Eastern University Tamaraws.  Also from the NCAA are season 90 champion San Beda College Red Lions, runner-up Arellano University Chiefs plus one more qualifier from the Luzon-Metro Manila elimination.

They will be tested by CESAFI teams led by 2014 champion Southwestern University Cobras, runner-up University of San Carlos Warriors and third placer University of the Visayas Green Lancers.

The teams are divided into two brackets. The teams under Group A are NU, Arellano U, USC  and the Luzon-Metro Manila champions while Group B are composed of SBC, SWU , FEU and UV.

The champion will receive P800, 000, while the second placer goes home with P400,000 and the third and fourth placer will get P300,000 and P100, 000, respectively.

Tickets are priced at P40 for general admission, P80 for upperbox, P150 for lower box and P200 for seats at the stage. (FREEMAN)