CEC faces NBTC ban

The Cebu Eastern College Dragons will pay dearly after failing to show up for their semifinal game against the University of the Visayas in the 2017 SM National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) Cebu City Division at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym last Saturday.

According to the NBTC rule book, CEC can no longer join the NBTC tournament for its failure to show up in the game.

“CEC did not show up in the semifinal knockout game against UV! They said they were not informed! Of the four teams that qualified (in the semifinal round) it’s impossible that they were the only (team) that did not know the schedule,” NBTC Cebu Division 1 commissioner Al Solis told Sun. Star Cebu.

However, aside from the forfeiture, SunStar Cebu also learned that in their final elimination round game against UV the other Saturday, CEC coach Rodmark del Rosario challenged the referees to a fist fight, warranting his expulsion from the game.

“On the coach, he is no longer allowed to coach in any of the teams who will join the NBTC League,” said Solis.

Because of CEC’s forfeit, UV had an effortless ride to the finals against the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis, who eliminated the University of San Carlos Baby Warriors, 80-38 victory.

The Magis Eagles are seeking their seventh title in the league that will send the best team to the national high school championship in Manila in March.

This is the third time UV will challenge the Magis Eagles for the Cebu Division 1 title.

USC could not sustain a good performance in the first quarter as it succumbed to the pressure defense of the Magis Eagles in the second period, allowing the Eagles to pull away 17-13.

SHS-AdC scored 24 points while USC was held to just five points in the second. The third and fourth quarters were equally trying for the Baby Warriors, who gave up 41 more points.

Andrew Velasco topscored for SHS-AdC with 12 points, Patrick Yu and Travis Mantua had 10 each. /