Curious twist in Cesafi basketball

EARLY in the season, it seemed the University of Cebu Webmasters, who finished second to the University of the Visayas last year, would earn an outright spot in the finals after running through the competition. The Webmasters won their first eight games, and winning the remaining four meant an outright finals spot via sweep.

Then disaster struck in the form of the lowly Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats and the once mighty Webmasters unraveled after that, losing two of their last three games to finish at 9-3.

On the other hand, the UV Green Lancers have been on a roll. Coach Glen Cortes piqued the interst of the other coaches when he said during the launch, “Kung dili sila mag-binulay-og, grand slam gyud mi.” But after the first two games, it seemed Cortes was going to eat his own words as UV fell to its worst start in memory.

But the Lancers, owner of the longest run of championship titles at nine and of win streaks at 50-plus in the league, began doing what they do best—win games. UV went on to win all but one of their remaining games to finish at 9-3, bagging the no. 2 spot and the last twice-to-beat edge in the semifinals.

This year’s revelation, of course, has been the University of San Jose-Recoletos, though for those who observe the games regularly, they don’t see USJ-R’s no. 1 finish as a surprise. As for me, I see it as a welcome development in the league that has been dominated by UV and UC of late and of UV and SWU before that.

USJ-R will take on USC, which has never been the same after their one and done title three years ago, in the semifinals while UV will take on UC in the other semis, needing only to win once to end coach Yayoy Alcoseba’s season.

After Cortes made that quip during the launch, it was coach Yayoy who replied for all the coaches. That it won’t be only UC who will try to stop UV from getting that grand slam but the rest of the league as well.

And this time, coach Yayoy will have a chance to prove that as his Webmasters take on the Lancers.

The other semifinals is just as intriguing. Whoever wins between USJ-R and USC and if the Jaguars win, it will be their first finals slot in over a decade, when they were the latest to fall during that UV string of nine titles. It was interesting because one of the storylines that year was of coach Yayoy offering some tips to the Jaguars on how to beat UV.

USC winning over USJ-R will also mean it’s going to be the first no. 4 team to make it all the way to the finals. Though that is a possibility, it’s unlikely. Though I’m from USC, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Jaguars make it all the way to the finals and win their first Cesafi title.

It’s going to be a welcome change and a welcome boost to USJ-R sports, which doesn’t get as much support as the other schools. Who knows, a finals stint could be that final push the school admin needs to invest in its sports programs.

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