Saturday, November 08, 2008 Alcoseba: UV will join VAAA
DESPITE the ban from the Cesafi Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) from joining the Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA), league founder and Cebu City Councilor Yayoy Alcoseba said defending champion University of the Visayas will be back for the third edition of the tournament.
“For sure, UV will be back to defend its title. (UV coach) Boy Cabahug gave me his word that they will play and I heard no objections from Cong. Eddie Gullas,” Alcoseba told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
Aside from UV, the University of San Jose-Recoletos, Southwestern University and University of San Carlos are the other Cesafi members schools who are interested to play in the VAAA.
The Cesafi board voted last week, 6-1, to bar its members from joining the VAAA.
Other teams are from Ormoc, Tagbilaran and Dumaguete.
Meanwhile, Alcoseba said they moved the opening of the tournament from today to Nov. 22, still at the Cebu Coliseum.
Alcoseba said they moved the opening since they want Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan to grace the occasion.
“We want MVP to open the season that’s why we are forced to move the schedule of the opening to Nov. 22 instead of today,” Alcoseba said.
Alcoseba clarified that the presence of MVP during the opening ceremony is crucial because VAAA has become one of the pilot projects of SBP in the south.
Except for the opening proper, everything is ready for the tournament as assured by the league commissioner Jose “Boy” Murillo.
“Everything is ready and our schedules are ready except for the opening itself which was postponed to later date,” added Murillo.
Alcoseba will be holding a press conference on Monday to formally announce the opening of the league.
“There will be important announcement that we will make on Monday. This includes the complete cast of participants,” said Alcoseba.
For the third time, VAAA participation has been tainted with the prohibition of the Cesafi members to join the league.
But like the past two seasons, VAAA went on smoothly with Cesafi members teams competing for the title. (RCM)
