Saturday, January 12, 2008 Sy asks Cesafi: Play for pride
BASKETBALL patron Lorenzo “Chao” Sy appealed to members of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) to play for the pride of Cebu and allow their schools to compete in the Cebu Zonal elimination for the 2008 National Students Basketball Championships (NSBC).
After Cesafi’s continued refusal to let member schools play in other tournaments, Sy pleaded to the schools to play for passion and pride, being this year’s NSBC host team.
“We should play for the honor of Cebu. (We last hosted the NSBC) in 1996.
Since then, we clamored for national titles. Now that it is here in our backyard, let’s play and give the Manila teams a tough competition,” Sy said during yesterday’s press conference.
Confirmed
Three Cesafi members gave their commitment to play in the NSBC – the University of San Carlos Warriors and the Southwestern University Cobras which will play in the Zonals and powerhouse University of the Visayas Green Lancers, which will automatically advance to the NSBC.
University of San Jose Recoletos, which was represented by its athletic moderator Dioscoro Himotas, could not say yet whether it will join.
Because of the reluctance, Sy decided to move the Cebu Zonals to Jan. 22 to give them time to decide.
Aside from USC and SWU, Asian College of Technology (ACT) Cyber Knights and Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology (SCSIT) have already confirmed joining the competition.
The USC Lady Warriors will be the lone representative of Cebu to the NSBC.
Sy said UAAP teams University of the East Red Warriors, Far Eastern University Tamaraws and University of Sto. Tomas Tigers, along with NCAA’s Jose Rizal University Bombers and San Sebastian College Stags will be participating in the NSBC.
Next week, BAP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay will come to Cebu to formally announce the hosting of the NSBC. (RCM)
