HCSD, Ford eye Mandaya Cup finals

THE Holy Child School of Davao (HCSD) Reds and Ford Academy will shoot for a finals berth in the cadet division when they take on separate opponents in Game 2 of the Royal Mandaya Hotel Cup basketball tournament semifinals at the Genesis Gym in Ecoland Sunday.

The Reds won Game 1 of their best-of-three series against Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) and are favored to repeat and seal the semifinals duel in their 9:30 a.m. game.

Ford also drew first blood in its own series with the Assumption College of Davao (ACD) and will shoot for a second victory for a slot in the finals.

A victory by both Ateneo and ACD will force a third and final game to decide the finalists.

Tournament manager Jek-Jek Melendres said the cadet finals will serve as the opener of the Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte-27th Kadayawan Festival commercial basketball tournament which fires off later this month.

Melendres said the champion in the cadet category will receive a cash prize of P5,000 while the second placer will get P3,000. The third and fourth finishers are assured of P2,000 and P1,000, respectively.

Last week, the Mandaya Cup staged the finals in the mini division with the Ateneo de Davao University beating the Assumption College of Davao and winning the crown for the third straight time.

The event is organized by the Royal Mandaya Hotel and supported by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas-Mindnao Cluster B under its director Regino "Boy" Cua, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and Councilor Paolo Duterte. (CRAM)