All set for CESAFI Season 14

CEBU, Philippines -  It's green and go for the 14th season of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. this Saturday at the Cebu Coliseum. An elaborate opening bash scheduled at 1 p.m. will usher in the new edition of Cebu's premiere inter-school athletic league.

And for the first time in the history of local amateur basketball, the final games will be aired live nationwide on ABS-CBN Sports.

"I am pleased to announce that the final games will be televised live nationwide on ABS-CBN. It's some sort of an experiment because ABS-CBN  would like to know what's really the crowd of the CESAFI," said commissioner Felix "Boy" O. Tiukinhoy, Jr. in a press conference yesterday at Cebu Parklane International Hotel.

Defending champion University of the Visayas Green Lancers and the Southwestern University Cobras, bitter rivals for decades now, are again at the odds-on favorites in the collegiate division owing to their vast championship experience and star-studded lineups, but the University of San Carlos Warriors and the University of San Jose-Recoletos are likely to pull a major surprise with their revitalized rosters.

The other crown pretenders are the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats and the University of Cebu Webmasters.

Only six teams will take part in the collegiate battle as the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers take a leave of absence this season.

They will play in a double round robin format in the classification phase. The top four will proceed into the semifinals wherein the top two qualifiers enjoy twice-to-beat incentives. The winners will then clash for the championship in a best-of-five series.

The secondary cage wars feature nine teams. Aside from UC and USJ-R, the other competing squads are the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Blue Eagles, Cebu Eastern College Dragons, USC Baby Warriors, UV Baby Lancers, CIT-U Wildkittens, USPF Baby Panthers, and Don Bosco Technology Center Greywolves.

They will take on each other following a single round robin format in the elimination. The highest ranked team will advance outright into the semifinals, while the rest will go through a quarterfinal playoffs except for the two tailenders who will head directly to the exit. Teams no. 2, 3, and 4 will have a twice-to-beat advantage. 

A double round robin format will be applied in the semis, with the top two finishers slugging it out for the title in a best-of-three showdown.

As usual, the traditonal 'Grand Palabas' will highlight the kick-off salvo as well as the selection of Miss CESAFI 2014 both in high school and college divisions.

Games proper will commence at 4 p.m., with the USJ-R Baby Jaguars taking on the Junior Webmasters. Their collegiate counterparts will clash in the main attraction at 5:30 p.m. — EBV (FREEMAN)