All systems go for 6th MLKP U-21 Development Basketball League this Sunday

It’s all systems go for the 6th M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala Under-21 Development League “Charity Basketball For-A-Cause” this Sunday at the Consolacion Sports Complex.

Games on Sunday

(Consolacion Sports Complex)

4:00 pm – Opening

5:00 pm – MLSDF vs. Black Shama

6:40 pm – Ave Maria vs. Mandaue

8:20 pm – Jeff Pharma vs. RemEMBER

Before the hardcourt hostilities, a simple opening program will take place at 4 pm. Among the luminaries expected to grace the affair are Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob Sr., Vice Mayor Ember Alinsug, highly-esteemed sportsman and the league’s chief corporate backer Michel J. Lhuillier, and M. Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation (MLSDF) executive director Eddie B. Ybañez.

In the season-opener at 5 pm, defending champion MLSDF selection will go up against the Consolacion National High School (CNHS) Black Shama, while the Ave Maria Sanctuary Park, manned by undertrainees of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), will take on the Mandaue City Stallions of Mayor Jonas Cortes at 6:40 pm.

In the main attraction scheduled at 8:20 pm, Jeff Pharma, composed of aspiring hoopsters from the University of San Carlos (USC), will square off against Team RemEMBER of host Consolacion.

A total of 14 teams divided into two brackets of seven are seeing action in the two-month cage wars organized by MLSDF in association with the municipal government of Consolacion.

Pooled with MLSDF and Black Shama under Bracket A are the Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology (SCSIT) Baby Sklyblazers, Philweb, Athletes for Christ through Excellent Service (ACES) of coach Al Solis, University of the Visayas (UV)-Mandaue Academy, and Southwestern University (SWU) Baby Cobras.

The rest of the Bracket B entries are 5th Avenue Telecom/Hoop It Up, bannered by Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) cagers, Mabolo Christian Academy, and the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers of Camilo Go, who is a native of Consolacion.

Commissioner Aurelio Eslawan said the tournament follows a single round robin format in the elimination, with the top two teams advancing into the crossover semis. The winners will then figure in a sudden-death title showdown.

Aside from trophies and medals to the outstanding individual performers, the champion will receive P5,000, while the second and third placers will take home P3,000 and P2,000, respectively.

As agreed earlier, the cash prizes will be donated to a charitable institution of the winners’ choice. Also, proceeds of the event will be handed out to the less fortunate Cebuanos.

“This is MLSDF’s payback to the community. Alongside MLSDF’s unflinching commitment to sports development is its socio-civic responsibility of reaching out the needy ones,” said Ybañez, the forerunner of the MLKP  U-21 League which is now on its sixth season.– EBV