TOP commercial teams from Cagayan de Oro and other parts of Visayas and Mindanao are expected to vie for honors in the biggest basketball tournament to happen in the municipality of Kibawe, Bukidnon.

The 1st Mayor's Cup Open Basketball Tournament 2019, sponsored by Kibawe town Mayor Reynaldo Rabanes, will be held on December 4 to 8, 2019 with close to P300,000 in total cash prizes awaiting the winners.

"The recent earthquake that badly hit Bukidnon strikes fear to the hearts of our people that we have to give them full-blast entertainment. We have to rebound with a refreshing activity and this will be our answer to the magnitude 5.9 tremor that jolted Bukidnon," Rabanes said in a talk with Tagoloan sports coordinator Van Halen Parmis.

The Tagoloan Community College with two black imports and a PBA player are said to join the five-day and are expected to face tough rivals from Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.

"Dili pa namo i-reveal ang mga pangalan sa among duha ka black players and PBA import para aduna'y element of surprise (We won't reveal the names of our top players and the PBA import for the extra element of surprise. Kibawe is known for hosting commercial events pero mao ni ang pinakadako nga ilang gi-organized (but this is the biggest event the town has organized," Parmis told SunStar Cagayan de Oro.

The winning team will receive P100,000 while the second and third placers will gety P70,000 and P50,000, respectively. Fourth and fifth finishers will be given P30,000 and P25,000. Winners will also receive trophies from the competition.

In addition, the Kibawe local government unit will also provide meals, accomodation and transportation for the participating teams.