SHS-J, USC-NC off to Visayas Finals

CEBU - The Sacred Heart School-Jesuit (SHS-J) Passerelle and University of San Carlos (USC)-North Campus SBP teams head to Bacolod on Friday to represent Cebu in the Visayas Regional Finals of the Milo BEST Center SBP/Passerelle twin basketball tournaments.

The SHJ-S Eagles scored back-to-back championships in the Cebu leg and are out to improve their runner-up finish in last year’s Visayas Finals.

“The team is intact and we’re all excited to win it all this time after our learning from our Visayas Finals trip last year,” SHS-J coach Rommel Rasmo said.

Leading the SHS-J attack will be Cebu MVP Daryl Nazareno. He will be backed up by team captain Gabe Branzuela, Jerry Seno and the inside presence of the Justin Yu and the de la Cruz brothers, Borgy and Justin.      The rest of the team are Kiefer Lim, Adrian Muller, Reggie Abbu, Raul Antigua, Hordon Evono II, Kristoffer Porter, Dandan Tecson, Raymund Mangubat and Joseph Zozobrado. Assisting Rasmo are SHS-J Juniors coach Jaysar Esperat and Helben Regodon.

On the other hand, the USC-North Baby Warriors, who swept the opposition in the Cebu leg of the tournament, will be making their first trip to the Visayas Finals in a long time.

Although USC NC has been out of the Milo BEST Visayas Finals for quite some time, coach Galimar Largo is unfazed, having steered the team to a silver medal in the Palarong Pambansa last May.

USC is looking to score a back-to-back Visayas championship for Cebu as SHS-J won the tournament last year. “The boys are ready and raring to go, and we’re asking for the prayers and support of the Cebu fans,” said Largo.

Andrey Armenion will lead USC’s band of role players, which include Lorenzo Piad, Michael Balankig, Bryan Deniega and Jude Bulan.

The other members of the team are Steven Cedric Co, Joshua Matthew Curvo, Noriko Benedicto, Vincent Fancis Sotto, Arnie Christian Padilla, Clint Uy, Marc Jubay, Dolan Adlawan, Joeven Yap, and Philip Martin Aguirre. Assisting Largo is former USC Warrior Vernini Tangarorang. USC Basketball Program’s Consultant Mike Reyes will also be on hand to lend his expertise. (PR)  (THE FREEMAN)