CEBU, Philippines - In what they described as an “ambitious and expensive” undertaking, the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (CECABA) under the flagship of Chester C. Cokaliong has earmarked P1.8 million for a three-year compreshensive basketball program aimed at transforming the CEC Dragons into a fighting force in the school-based cage leagues.
Cokaliong unequivocally admitted that their unprecedented move was sparked by CEC’s pitiful campaign in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) where the hapless Dragons were thrashed by 100 points or more by their mighty foes. At one point, CEC was pulverized by an all-time record of 155 points by the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers.
“When the varsity team recently hugged the headlines for being massacred by more than points thereby becoming the laughing stock, every Easternian felt embarrassed, if not ashamed, more so for the CECABA All-Stars for it is a well-respected and feared team among the local non-professional basketball leagues,” said Cokaliong in a press conference the other night at Whitegold House Restaurant.
Cokaliong said that CEC director Frederick Ong, Jr. and the rest of the school staff paid him a visit last week to ask his financial and moral support.
“Being a diehard Easternian, I readily acceded to their request,” said Cokaliong, himself a highly-esteemed figure in the local hoopdom for his shooting acumen.
Cokaliong said the initial phase of their extensive basketball project will run through the next three years. “Admittedly, this program is ambitious and expensive as it would entail an estimated cost of P1.8 million,” he said.
The CECABA All-Stars will be at the forefront of the newly-launched CEC Basketball Program with a committee to oversee its implementation as well as the selection or the recruitment process. The working group is composed of six professionals who are all CEC alumni in Jefferson Go, Steven Villabert, Eric Ong III and CECABA All-Stars Joel Chan, Sammy Sia, and Wilson Yu.
“This is the first time in CEC history that we are implementing a recruitment process, which has long been adopted by other schools,” said Cokaliong. “We want to form a competitive team, specifically in the CESAFI next season. We want to field in the strongest team we poosibly could.”
To start the ball rolling, Cokaliong and Ong pitched in P100,000 each for the training program.
“We have taken this initiative and have done this in order to encourage everyone, especially all the CEC alumni, including the parents, to support in any manner by donating whatever they can afford to give,” said Cokaliong.
Cokaliong further bared that they also hired four coaches to be at the cornerstone of their project. They are ex-Cebu Gems assistant coach Rex Salvaña and former USJ-R Jaguar Albert Alocillo in the elementary level and Jerry Jaranilla and Lou Regidor in the high school department.
Jaranilla, who once served as the program coordinator of the Scientific Training and Efficiency Program (STEP) of Ateneo de Iloilo, had several coaching stints in bigtime commercial leagues such as the National Basketball Conference (NBC) and the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA). Before jumping ship to CEC, Jaranilla called the shots for the Iloilo Warriors/Mang Inasal’s in the Liga Pilipinas Conference III.
Regidor, on the other hand, was among the brightest Cebuano hardcourt stars during his prime. He played for one season in the PBA with San Miguel Beermen in 1995 and is currently one of the trusted lieutenants of Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba in the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala bench.
On top of their monthly stipend, Cokaliong said the coaches will receive incentives for every game won in the elimination round. There will be an additional bonus for them if CEC will reach the semifinals more so in the finals. For those who are lucky enough to make it to the CEC varsity squad, they will enjoy athletic scholarship, monthly allowance and free board and lodging for those who are leaving far from the city or out-of-towners.
Now that all the framework has already been laid out, Jaranilla acknowledged that a tough challenge looms ahead of him but he is optimistic that everything is achievable given the all-out support thrown by the Easternians.
“For sure we’ll form a competitive team. It’s a long process, but with the help of the CEC alumni everything is possible,” said Jaranilla.
To start its head-hunt for potentials, committee member Sammy Sia said they will be holding a series of try-outs on November 7, 14 and 21 starting at 2 pm at the CEC gym. It is open to all aspiring hoopsters aged eight to 15 years old. Those who are interested to join are advised to proceed directly to the CEC gym on the said dates.
In adherence to the academic standard set forth by CEC, all those who make grade in the try-outs will still have to pass the entrance examination before they will be admitted into the training program.
“Three years from now, we will start to harvest the fruits of what we have planted today. I hope that by next year, headlines would already banner the story that CEC has fielded a varsity team that is competitive and hopefully would someday bring home the honor for us (Easternians),” said Cokaliong. - THE FREEMAN