Governor’s Cup hoops aims to discover talents

Sports

CEBU CITY–A basketball tournament seen as a launching pad for aspiring talents is set for a major return.

Provincial officials, led by Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, led the launching of the Governor's Cup Under-18 Basketball Tournament, which will open on Sept. 26.

Last staged in 2019 under the administration of Hilario “Junjun” Davide III, the tournament has already attracted 21 municipalities and cities in Cebu.

“I am very excited for this, the mayors are excited for this. The province will support this all the way,” Baricuatro said during the launch on Thursday, July 24.

Among the participating teams are Bogo City, Badian, Tuburan, Carcar City, Dalaguete, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar, Medellin, San Fernando, Balamban, Tabuelan, Lapu-Lapu City, Sibonga, Sta. Fe, Cordova, Consolacion, Pinamungajan, Alegria, and Mandaue City.

Also present during the Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) Chairman Dr. Rhoel Dejaño, commissioners Mark Anthony Ynoc and Dr. Janos Vizcayno, and CPSC Executive Director Engr. Rodrigo Tanza Jr.

Dejaño said the tournament aims to provide aspiring athletes and avenue to showcase their skills.

“This will really identify new talents which might be tapped, those who may not have a chance to really go into school-based tournaments. There might be some talents that have not been discovered yet,” said Dejaño.

The tournament dangles huge cash prizes with the top three finishers getting P500,000, P250,000, and P100,000, respectively.

The fourth placer will receive P50,000.

Baricuatro said the province will also be prodving subsidy to the participating teams to help shoulder their uniforms and logistics.

The venue of the opening ceremony is yet to be finalized but the province is exploring the possibility of holding it at the newly opened SM Seaside Arena Cebu.

“We are working on it because there will be budgetary constraints. But hopefully, we are calling on SM, that they will give us considerations,” Baricuatro said in between laughs.

To ensure the smooth conduct of games, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas-Region 7 has been tapped to oversee the tournament with veteran referee Rey Cañete and VisTech handling the officiating.(CCM)