Manny hits Cebu City ground with ballgame

Sunstar
October 13, 2007

Fresh from his feat in Nevada over Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera, Philippine Boxing idol Manny Pacquiao today hits Cebu ground running—this time on the basketball court.

Pacquiao comes full circle in this city where he trained for six weeks with a busy day, in which a basketball game with Cebu sportswriters awaits him this afternoon at the University of San Carlos Gym.

The super featherweight champion is expected to arrive at 8:30 a.m. today and will be ferried via a motorcade to the Basilica del Santo Niño for a thanksgiving mass.

He will later talk to the press at the Waterfront Hotel over lunch and officially open the 1st MP Cup Invitational Basketball, which he helped put up by 2:30 p.m.

Tournament

The games will open with the familiar match between the Team PacMan and the Cebu Sports Media Association Hoopsters, which Pacquiao had been playing with during his 6-week preparation here.

The tournament is joined by 16 other teams from the different sectors and organizations in Metro Cebu.

Team PacMan and the CSMA belonged to the strong Bracket A, with the celebrated Cecaba Selection led by Chester Cokaliong, MS Motosuit-Unity Basketball Club of sports patron Lou Ornopia, Rex ‘Wakee’ Salud (RWS) Stable, Club Monday, Philippine Farmer’s Bank-IBP,Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) and House of Hope.

Bracket B includes San Carlos Boys High Alumni Basketball Association (SCBHABA), Punta Princesa Sports Association (PPSA), the Jaycees Basketball Association (JBA), Dewfoam-United Architects Basketball Club (UABC) of Archt. Alan Choachuy, Casino Filipino-Mactan, Metro Cebu Basketball Association (MCBA), Barkada-Rama Boys of Vice Mayor Mike Rama, the Cebu Dental Society and Coco Roj-Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC).

Cecaba Selection will play against the RWS Stable, which is composed of players from the Sacred Heart Alumni Basketball Association at 1 p.m. followed by the grand opening ceremony, then the SCBHABA plays the Dewfoam-UAP at 3 p.m. followed by the Team PacMan vs. the CSMA at 4:30, the Casino Filipino-Mactan vs. the Barkada Rama Boys at 6 p.m. and the Coco Roj-INC vs. the PPSA in the final game at 7:30 p.m.

Gratitude

The Cebu City Council’s chair of the Amusement, Games and Professional Sports committee Sylvan ‘Jack’ Jakosalem, in a text message to Sun.Star Cebu, has expressed gratitude for Pacquiao’s presence here in the city.

“Manny is the best thing that (has) happened to our country in recent history. And he his even closer to the hearts of the Cebuanos now because he chose Cebu City as his training base, instead of US, Manila or even his hometown General Santos City. The least we (city officials) can do is welcome him in a way he truly deserves, as a living and real hero of the Filipino people,” he said.

As Pacquiao’s way of thanking the Cebuanos, he will have another motorcade on city’s major streets, including the historic Colon St.

“We encourage those establishments to prepare confetti for him (Pacquiao) because we wanted him to feel that he is very welcome here,” Jakosalem said. (RCM)