UST POSES TROUBLE FOR CEBU TEAMS
UST Tigers to give UV, USPF, other college teams a run for their money in the Bayugan City Mayor’s Cup
The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers are out to prove the dominance of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines teams from the rest of the country as they join the Bayugan City Mayor’s Cup Invitational Basketball Tournament 2017 on June 26-29 at the Lope Asis Momorial Gymnasium in Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur.
The ARQ Builders-backed UST is out to deny Cesafi heavyweights University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and another Cebu team University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers, Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals of the NCAA and lone Mindanao beat Xavier University Crusaders of Cagayan de Oro City in the tournament that offers a total of P575,000 in cash prizes.
The interesting part is that UST will be playing with UV’s former Cameroonian import Steve Cedric Akomo who helped the team win its 10th Cesafi title in 2013.
Akomo, UV’s first Cameroonian import transferred school in 2015, right after the Green Lancers lost to the University of San Carlos Warriors in the Finals.
He was not around when UV finished runner-up to the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws in Bayugan City last year.
However, the Lancers had an axe to grind against the Tigers who beat them 84-48 during the Recoletos de Cebu Cup held last year in Cebu.
Former Sacred Heart SchoolAtene de Cebu Magis Eagles forward Zachy Huang will also pose as another problem for the Lancers, which is reorganizing and beefing up its lineup in preparation for the 2017 Cesafi Season which will open on August 5.
This is the second time Bayugan City hosted an inter-collegiate invitational tournament and Mayor Kim Lope Asis had expressed his sincerest gratitude for the teams who comes to his city and inspire young players to strive in the field of sports.
One of the province’s products is UV’s all-around player Jerome Napao, who hails from Talacogon and has been a star to the people in their hometown.
Asis pours more than a million to host this event as the city, through its private partners caters to all the needs of the teams including air plane tickets, meals and accommodation for a duration of the 4-day tournament.
The championship of the tournament will go home P200,000 richers, the second placer will get P150,000, the third and the fourth placer will pocket P100,00 and P75,000 each and the fifth placer will purse P50,000.
The side events that include 3-point shooting and slam dunk competition will also give additional excitement to the tournament which is the sporting highlights of the 10th Charter Day and Bayug Festival Celebration.