FAMILIAR foes face off for the first time as rivals University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters clash in the elimination round of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Partners Cup 2019 on Saturday, July 6, 2019, at the Cebu Coliseum.
The ARQ Builders-backed Green Lancers and the Joemang’s Surplus-supported Webmasters will highlight Saturday’s quadruple-header as the two historic rivals battle for the first time in this year’s Cesafi preseason tournament.
UV is playing like a well-oiled machine so far in the preseason, winning all of its five games. UV’s latest victim was the erstwhile undefeated Southwestern University (SWU-Phinma) Cobras last Tuesday night.
The Green Lancers, a reigning three-time Cesafi regular season champion, will look to sweep the first round of the eliminations, but it won’t be an easy task with UC as the road block on their final game of the first round of the collegiate division.
The Yayoy Alcoseba-coached UC lost to SWU-Phinma last June 22 before the team flew to Bayugan City for the four-day pocket tournament – the Mayor’s Cup Invitational Basketball Tournament 2019. UC finished at third place behind SWU-Phinma and eventual champion Far Eastern University.
The Webmasters have three wins against two losses in their first five games in the Partners Cup.
On the other hand, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars will test the Tough Gear/SWU-Phinma Baby Cobras in the high school division.
The Baby Jaguars (4-1) will look to solidify their hold in the second spot of the team standings, behind the undefeated ARQ Builders/UV Baby Lancers (6-0). The Baby Cobras (3-3), meanwhile, are hoping to bounce back after losing to UV last Tuesday, to stay within striking distance of the Top Four.
The other games will be between the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers (2-3) and SWU-Phinma in the college division, and between the OCCCI/Cebu Institute of Technology-University (1-3) and the Cebu Landmasters/Sacred Heart School Ateneo de Cebu (3-2) in the high school division. RSC