CESAFI Season 11 opens today

CEBU, Philippines - Reigning collegiate champion University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters will return to basketball action with so much confidence that they are capable of scoring a repeat while their 6-9 center June Mar Fajardo is in a tip-top shape to provide the much-needed offense against the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars in the main offering of the 11th season of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) at the Cebu Coliseum.

Games today

(Cebu Coliseum)

4 pm CEC vs. UV (jrs.)

6pm UC vs. USJR (srs.)

The Webmasters claimed their first ever CESAFI title last year via a slim yet historic final game against the nine-time champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 73-72 which was decided only in the final six seconds behind the heroics of no other than Fajardo himself who scored the winning basket and the championship points after having a nice catch off a bounce pass from guard Quinton Brian Heruela that underscored a perfect two-man play.

The winning basket was not coincidental for Fajardo's winning the most-coveted MVP plum because he was actually the pre-tournament favorite especially upon the departure of fellow giant Gregory Slaughter from the Lancers. Fajardo had 32 points in that very memorable Game 4 of the best-of-five cham-pionship series.

Tonight, the Webmasters are again blessed by the presence of Fajardo who is playing in his last CESAFI season and one year after they became champion, there had been so much improvement shown by Fajardo both as player and floor leader. Polished by time and experience in the off-season, Fajardo's main concern at his very young career is on how to carry his poise amidst pressures that is remained to be seen in this new season.

They are facing the Jaguars with the hope they start with a winning note. The convincingly defeated the Jaguars last year, 108-92, and it was actually an infamous season for the Jaguars as they were eliminated too early that expected following a string of costly loses 75-76 against the USC Warriors and a 92-94 loss to the CIT Wildcats.

The Jaguars' agony didn't end there as the skid continue during the 5th CESAFI Partner's Cup where they were also eliminated. This year, they hope that the new season will be a redemption period to the Jaguars, a once formidable team who advanced into the CESAFI finals for four times.

To assist Fajardo in their renewed campaign for title are Heruela, Edward Pao, Gerald Ampoon, Robinson Mohammad, Francis Luigi Bercede, Archie Batua and Alvin Labolabo Jr. Of course, they are not expecting too much from their rookies that included Benedict Ocariza, son of one of the most prominent UC product in Benjamin Ocariza fondly called Ben Ocs.

Earlier today, high school defending champion Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons start their title-retention bid against the UV Baby Lancers right after the opening salvo. But even before the game started, the Dragons already lost two key players due to eligibility leaving them only 13 qualified players to continue their second title quest, thus also leaving them a grim prospect of retaining the crown.

The Webmasters who are sending a separate team to the 26th Universiade in Shenzhen, China is composed of Jessrel Albete, Jan Michael Auditor, Ibes Warren Bagnol, Francis Luigi Bercede, Roger Caytuna, Benedict Ocariza, Edward Pao, Gerald Ampoon, John Rafael Aranas, Alfred Ryan Batino, Alvin Labo-labo, Robinson Mohammad, Archie Batua, June Mar Fajardo and Quinton Brian Heruela. (FREEMAN)