How CESAFI basketball can thrive alongside pro leagues

 

CEBU CITY, Philippines – There is no denying the waning interest of fans in the Cebu Schools Athletic Federation Inc (CESAFI) collegiate basketball competitions. The most recent finals between eventual champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors barely filling half of the seats at the New Cebu Coliseum.

This is because CESAFI and its predecessor, the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (CAAA), have contributed some of the biggest names to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) such as the likes of Ramon Fernandez, Manny Paner, Yoyong Martirez, Jojo Lastimosa, Boy Cabahug, Al Solis and Dondon Hontiveros. And recently, June Mar Fajardo, Greg Slaughter, Brian Heruela and Eliud Poligates. 

CESAFI basketball has become a jumping point for Cebu’s sports legacy.

Another issue hounding the Cebu basketball scene is the lack of commercial leagues which used to thrive here such as the Cebu Basketball League, Cebu Basketball Federation, Mandaue Industrial Athletic Association (MICAA), among others.

Of late, hopes have been rekindled after the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League (PCBL) decided to expand to Cebu, Leyte and other areas in Mindanao en route to becoming a nationwide league upon the instigation of Van Halen Parmis, the scouting coach of the UV Green Lancers and PCBL south coordinator.

Adding to the excitement is the creation of a D-League in Cebu which has recently been approved by the PBA Board of Governors. The one catch is the CESAFI rule that disallows collegiate players from playing in commercial leagues. 

CESAFI commissioner Felix “Boy” Tiukinhoy Jr. said that the players are first and foremost students, thus their priority should be to study.

“Sports is an act that complements their studies, their foremost duty is to study and get a degree,” Tiukinhoy said.

The CESAFI commissioner is adamant in upholding the league’s rule of not letting CESAFI active players see action in professional and semi-professional leagues saying that “the point that they are playing basketball as students is so that they can finish school.”

Tiukinhoy added that once they graduate, they have all the time to see action in these other leagues.

It has been earlier reported that most of the CESAFI collegiate coaches will agree to let their student players compete in the  PBA Vis-Min D-League which might have its first tournament in the first quarter of 2017.

According to Tiukinhoy, the league’s priority is to keep these student-athletes in school and see them through college. He bluntly pointed out the reality that even now, it is hard to keep these players in school as they are tempted to keep playing in commercial leagues where they earn.

“They have a choice, they can choose if they’d rather finish school or just play in these leagues,” Tiukinhoy said.

Parmis, on this point, agrees with the CESAFI commissioner.

“I always believe in the power of education. More than being an athlete, it must be their commitment as a student that must come first. Prior to reading the article of the commissioner of the CESAFI, Mr. Tiukinhoy, I lauded the move of D-league to open its doors to Vis-Min region simply because as a coach, you always want the best for your players. If having D-league here would mean our hopefuls getting a step closer to their dreams, then who are we to stop that? At the end of the day, you always pray for the best of your wards. 

“However, judging from the other side of the coin, we must also remember that rules are rules. And rules are meant to be followed.”

Parmis also admitted that, given a choice to play for their schools or to play in a league where they get compensated, most student-athletes would pick the latter.

Thus Parmis has suggested a compromise for CESAFI to expand its reach by coming up with another tournament aside from the regular season held every first semester of the school year.

“Maybe it’s time they consider the extension of exposure of its players that way their commitment remains with the league. Maybe it should not only be limited to the first semester. And maybe another great solution to earning loyalty of our student athletes is having its own version of a CESAFI Vis-Min league.”

Parmis is suggesting for the CESAFI to come up with a pre-season tournament that would include teams from other neighboring areas like Leyte, Bohol and Bacolod for both the juniors and the seniors division.

(READ: Where are the crowds for the CESAFI Finals?)

Tiukinhoy, however, is saying that this is not feasible because there is a time for student-athletes to play and a time to study so having another tournament  aside from the regular season is definitely a no.

The CESAFI commissioner will also not agree to having a tournament that would include teams from Visayas and Mindanao universities. He said that it is better if they come up with their own inter-school league in their respective areas.

Also, Tiukinhoy is pre-empting suggestions to open CESAFI school membership to other areas in the Visayas saying that the school owners themselves are not amenable to the idea.

He pointed out that there are even universities in Cebu alone which have not been given membership to the 16-year-old inter-school league. – Rappler.com