After Cebu City tournament, CCSC eyes bigger college basketball event

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) is looking to expand its college basketball event in its next edition after the successful staging of the 2nd Cebu City Collegiate Invitational Basketball Tournament this month at the Cebu City Sports Institute.

CCSC Chairman Dr. Rhoel Dejano said that the commission hopes to attract more participating teams, including additional squads from Manila. The weeklong tournament brought together two visiting teams and three of Cebu’s top collegiate programs.

The tournament featured reigning FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup champion Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers and UAAP’s University of the East (UE) Red Warriors. UAAP stands for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

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Cebu’s college basketball stars

They went up against Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) teams University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, and Benedicto College Cheetahs.

Dejano considered the tournament a success, particularly because it gave Cebu’s teams an opportunity to test themselves against different basketball systems and competition from Manila.

“First of all, I’d like to thank our visiting teams, especially University of the East and JRU, for accepting our invitation to come over to Cebu to join this intercollegiate basketball tournament,” Dejano said.

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“I think it was successful because our teams from Cebu were able to compete with teams from Manila and really showed how well our teams from Cebu” can step up.

A bigger Cebu City tournament

With the positive response to this year’s tournament, Dejano said that the CCSC is looking at expanding the field next year.

“So, hopefully, by next year we can have a bigger tournament. We can expand it to more teams so that there will be better participation,” he said.

“And I wish that more CESAFI teams will join next year. And also, we can invite more teams from Manila to come over.”

Dejano also revealed that the CCSC and Cebu City Government are working on another basketball tournament later this year.

He declined to disclose details, however, saying the project remains in the planning stage.

“I don’t want to preempt. We are still in the works of organizing things and hopefully very, very soon,” Dejano said.

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