The CESAFI's Opening and Players' List

The best collegiate basketball on this side of the country was on display as the 12th season of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) kicked off yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum with the match between the University of San Carlos Warriors and the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars.

The Cesafi is the same league that has produced the likes of current UAAP star, the 7-foot behemoth Greg Slaughter, who previously led the University of the Visayas Green Lancers to three titles while capturing two MVP trophies along the way.

Projected PBA top pick, 6-foot-10 center June Mar Fajardo, who hails from the municipality of Pinamungahan, is also a product of this very same league where he anchored the University of Cebu Webmasters to two consecutive championships, and like Slaughter, has also won two MVP crowns.

The list goes on and on (FEU starting forward Roger Ray Pogoy, rookie guards Mark Jayven Tallo of La Salle and Henry Asilum of UP, Rain or Shine forward, JR Quinahan, etc) as Cebu has earned itself the reputations the best hoops hotbed in the south while establishing the Cesafi as arguably, the best collegiate league outside of Manila. Looking to further that reputation are these players to watch out for in this season (schools in no particular order):

University of Cebu Webmasters

UC's Brian Heruela

1) Asis, Alexander
2) Auditor, Jan Michael
3) Cabrera, Kido
4) Cueva, Val Anthony
5) Gomez, Kim Steven
6) Heruela, Quinton Brian
7) Lumingkit, Constancio
8.) Miranda, Pompeo
9) Mohammad, Robinson
10) Ocariza, Benedict
11) Quilantang, Kevin
12) Santander, Windell
13) Sealana, Benick
14) Wagas, Gil

With a lineup devoid of such former stalwarts as Fajardo and three-point artist, power forward, Edward Pao, the bulk of expectations for this season’s campaign by the defending champions lie squarely now on the broad shoulders of stocky guard, Brian Heruela. The 6-foot Fil-Am guard has been the cream of the crop when it comes to guards in the Cesafi, typified by his back-to-back selections to the Mythical Five team. On the national scale, he has also proven his worth in the PCCL where he nearly averaged a triple-double in leading the Webmasters to a fourth-place finish against the likes of powerhouses San Sebastian, Ateneo and San Beda in that tournament.

Southwestern University Cobras

The SWU Team

1) Aboude, Justin
2) Arong, Monbert
3) Bregondo, Bernie
4) Casquejo, Jestoni
5) Dedace, Merbien
6) Escobio, Willy
7) Goloran, Daryl
8.) Guillena, Bonifacio Jr.
9) Lopez, Christopher
10) Mbala, Benoit
11) Nalos, Joseph Airo Jr.
12) Ortuyo, Benito Jr.
13) Pajantoy, John Augustin

The Cobras fell short in their magical run to the finals last year, where they were derailed by the Fajardo-led Webmasters. However, SWU is back with even more venom this season as they parade newly-acquired wingman, Ben Mbala. The 6-foot-7 Cameroonian boasts of an impressive resume as he was the 2011 Basketball Without Borders Africa Camp MVP. His game speaks even louder as the soft-spoken African has shown the ability to dominate on both ends of the floor, with his tenacious work on the boards as well as deft touch from both inside and out. The Mapua Cardinals and the San Beda Red Lions got a taste of things to come in games that they played here in Cebu during the offseason.

University of San Carlos Warriors

The USC Warriors

1) Adlawan, Dominic
2) Bautista, Jacques
3) Cantonao, June Michael
4) De Jesusu, John Kenneth
5) Duran, Mel Steve
6) Magat, Nicolas
7) Ortega, Caesar
8.) Otida, Nilton John
9) Pepito, Charles
10) Que, Stephen
11) Romaguera, Anthony
12) Seno, Jerry Jan
13) Uy, Chino Jr.
14) Valencia, Carl

The sweet-shooting Michael Cantonao will now get his time to shine. After years of living in the shadows of talented wingmen, Giovanni Padillo and Sam Hermosa, Cantonao will now anchor a revamped squad that has a new head coach in Julian Macoy, who replaced long-time mentor, Mike Reyes (brother of Chot)in the offseason. It remains to be seen however if the 5-foot-11 two-guard can do it consistently as he will now be looked upon to deliver the goods especially with a team chockfull of neophytes.

Click page 2 for the full list and pictures for the UV Green Lancers, USJR Jaguars, and the CIT Wildcats!!!!

6 Comments

cool_guy - 07-30-2012, 10:23 AM
- Reply
don't forget euligio "dingdong" lamosa of CIT Wildcats before who transferred to Mapua Cardinals Team B and then transferred to Colegio De Sta. Monica Cougars of NAASCU but sadly their team was disbanded for the reason that i don't know and now he is playing under the Centro Escolar University Scorpions of NAASCU. under CEU he is able to play also 2 seasons in the PBA D-League under the team Cafe France Bakers and hopefully he can play again this upcoming 3rd season of the PBA D-League alongside Francis Luigi Bercede also a Cebuano. Dingdong once competed in the 3-point shootout while playing in Cesafi. Hopefully he can play in the Big LEague someday. I even advised him to join the PBA draft this year but he is too shy to do so.