Team Pacman, Cebu Media to rekindle hardcourt rivalry

Team Pacman of boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao and head coach George Rama will rekindle its hardcourt rivalry against the Cebu Sports Media Association (CSMA) Hoopsters as they will clash head-on in the opening match of the 1st MP Cup Invitational Basketball Tournament this Sunday at the University of San Carlos (USC)-Main Gym.

While Pacquiao was training here in Cebu in preparation for his rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera, whom he soundly beat by one-sided unanimous decision over 12 rounds last Sunday in Las Vegas, his Pacman squad figured in a best-of-five exhibition duel against the Cebu Media.

Pacquiao saw action in the first three games as Team Pacman dominated the series with a 3-1-1 win-loss-draw record.

Now brandishing a stronger and solid roster, the DURABEND-sponsored Cebu Media yearns to lash back at Team Pacman when their paths crossed once again in the 2:00 pm opener.

A total of 18 teams divided into two groups of nine are all set for the friendly, but highly-competitive cage action that offers a total of P100,000 in cash prizes.

Team Pacman and Cebu Media are under Bracket A together with the Chester Cokaliong-led Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (CECABA) selection, MS Motosuit-Unity Basketball Club of sports patron Lou Ornopia,  Rex “Wakee” Salud (RWS) Stable, Club Monday, Philippine Farmer’s Bank-IBP, Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) and House of Hope.

San Carlos Boys High Alumni Basketball Association (SCBHABA) and Punta Princesa Sports Association (PPSA) of Reeve Jumawan lead the pack in Bracket B that also include Jaycees Basketball Association (JBA) of Boy Te and Benedict Chua, Dewfoam-United Architects Basketball Club (UABC) of Archt. Alan Choachuy, Casino Filipino-Mactan, Metro Cebu Basketball Association (MCBA) of Edward Ligas, Barkada-Rama Boys of Vice Mayor Mike Rama, and Coco Roj-Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC).

The CECABA selection will tangle with RWS Stable in the second game to be followed by the showdown between SCBHABA and UABC. JBA will take on Barkada-Rama Boys in the fourth game, while PPSA selection will tackle INC in the final match of the day.

Tournament commissioner Rico S. Navarro, who is also a sports columnist of The Freeman, and technical committee chief Danny Duran said the competing teams will play a single round robin format in the classification round.

The top two teams per bracket will advance into the crossover semifinals, with the winners fighting it out for the championship on December 9 in a winner-take-all affair.

Games will be played on Fridays (City Sports Club-Cebu gym from 7pm to 10 pm, Saturdays (Capitol Parish Gym from 1 pm to 10 pm), and Sundays (USC-Main Gym from 1 pm to 10 pm) in the two-month tilt for 30-above hoop buffs.

Aside from trophies, the champion in the community-based league among socio-civic and established ballclubs will take home P50,000, while the second and third will receive P30,000 and P20,000, respectively.