Mike T. Limpag
Fair play

WHEN Sammy Sia saw how his high school team, the Cebu Eastern College Dragons, got massacred in the Cesafi this season he felt his gut was being ripped off.
“Luoya nila oy.”

Ditto with Chester Cokaliong of the Cecaba All-Stars.

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“Perteng guola nako.”

When the Dragons lost to the University of Cebu by 131 points, the headlines screamed: “Massacre!”

When the Dragons lost again to the University of the Visayas by 155 points, the screaming headlines reached the alumni’s ears.

One said it bluntly, calling it a challenge to Cokaliong in our Speak Out section.

Here is a school that has such a rich alumni basketball tradition getting whipped from pillar to post. It doesn’t make sense.

One sports editor called it an entry deserving of a world record.

“Mura man nig natumba na, giyatakyatakan pa,” I overheard one tell another the comment he heard.

The challenge did not go unheeded.

The alumni refused to look the other way while teams carved records at CEC’s expense.

The Cecaba All-Stars are getting into the act and have started an ambitious basketball program to the tune of P2 million, at least.

It rivals that of any collegiate basketball program, and could probably change the shape of high school basketball in Cebu.

They tapped four coaches—including the former head coach of the Iloilo Warriors in the Liga Pilipinas—and are paying them more than what the rest get.

Previously, CEC relied on walk-ins, now they’re scouting, tapping their vast network of alumni.

The program is incentive-laden, just like the pros: monthly allowances, team bonuses for winning games in the elimination, another in the semis, lodging allowances and the works.

And with such a fat egg, incoming high school freshmen will do well by enrolling at CEC.

But a major hindrance for CEC—and one that could really define the program’s legacy—is the school’s unwillingness to sacrifice academic success for hard court glory.
It’s an open secret, successful student athletes are rarely good students.

For the CEC basketball program, that just won’t do. They want their student athletes, to be good students too.

That’s why, aside from the usual perks schools give their athletes, CEC has set aside tutorials.

And who wouldn’t want a CEC education on their resume when they go to college?

Perhaps, if Cokaliong is willing to give a bonus for winning games, another fat one for doing well in school is in the offing?

However, from what I learned from the school principal, that may not be a cheap move since all of the current team members—this season’s whipping boys--are in the top 10 of their school.

Since no team will ever improve playing in just one tournament a year, CEC hopes to join six—before and after the Cesafi season.

Their initial target is modest.

It’s not Hollywood and the Dragons won’t be shooting for the title next year.

That’s next to impossible.

“We just want our team to be competitive next year,” said Cokaliong.

With P2 million in their bag, CEC may have just tipped the balance a little bit in the Dragons’ favor.

And, as one reporter put it.

Lingaw na sad ni ang high school basketball next year.

(mikelimpag@gmail.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on November 9, 2009.