CEBU, Philippines - For the first time in many years, there will be an open/commercial division in the Mayor Eddie Gullas Cup 2017 basketball tournament, which will take off this Sunday at the Talisay City Sports Complex.
Councilor Rodi Cabigas said the move is an initiative of Cebu First District Rep. Gerald Anthony 'Samsam' V. Gullas, Jr. to give commercial players in Cebu an avenue to further showcase their hoop skills.
"We want to make Cebu commercial basketball as lively and vibrant as possible. After Talisay, we're planning to hold similar tournament in other areas of Cebu's first district particularly in Minglanilla, Carcar and Naga," said Samsam Gullas during the formal launching of the event yesterday.
Jeanneth Villagonzalo of the Talisay City Sports Commission said a total of seven teams divided into two brackets will see action in the open division.
San Remigio Properties, Fighter Wine Fighter Fifty, and Christwil/EGS Asia make up Bracket A, while SG/ARQ Builders, ASPA Scaffolding, Kimlex and Shereen compose bracket B.
They will play in a single round robin format, with the top two qualifiers advancing into the crossover semifinals. The winners will fight it out for the championship in a winner-take-all affair.
The champion will pocket P80,000 while the second to fourth placers will receive P50,000, P30,000 and P20,000, respectively.
In the inter-barangay, a total of 14 teams will battle it out for supremacy in the juniors division and 12 in the seniors level.
Aside from basketball, there will also be a volleyball competition. A total of 10 teams pooled into two groups will compete in the men's division, while the distaff side drew seven entries. (FREEMAN)