UC begins campaign in Bayugan caging

The Phoenix Fuel Life-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters will kick off their title campaign against the Vincare PharmaUniversity of Sto. Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers as the 8th Mayor Kim Lope A. Asis Inter-Collegiate Basketball Invitational gets underway today in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

The Webmasters and the Tigers will clash head-on at 8 p.m., right after Madyaw Construction-National University (NU) Bulldogs go up against the Greene Builders/Xavier UniversityAteneo de Cagayan Crusaders in the 6 p.m. opener.

The other contenders in the cash-rich tourney that is among the highlights of Bayugan's 11th Charter Day and Bayug Festival celebration are the ARQ Builders-Lyceum Polytechnic University (LPU) Pirates of Manila, and Mair Construction/Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras.

The contenders are divided into two groups of three, and will play in a single round robin format. The top two finishers in each bracket will advance to the crossover semifinals. The winners will dispute the title in suddendeath duel, while the losers will battle for third place.

Aside from trophies, the champion will take home P200,000 while the second placer will pocket P150,000. The third to fifth will receive P100,000, P75,000 and P50,000, respectively.

That is on top of the free accommodation, transportation and meals and round-the-clock security to all the participants of the four-day joust that will under the supervision of tournament organizer and multi-titled coach Van Halen Parmis.