NU, UST join Bayugan cage tourney
By Jerome Lagunzad
National University and University of Santo Tomas are going down south this week to continue their massive buildup for the UAAP men’s basketball tournament in September.
The Bulldogs, fresh from a bridesmaid finish in a pocket tourney in Xiamen, China last week, lead the six-team cast which will see action in the 8th Mayor Kim Lope A. Asis Invitational that gets going today at the Lope Asis Memorial Gymnasium in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.
The Growling Tigers, now handled by two-time collegiate champion mentor Aldin Ayo, are also in the hunt in the prestigious four-day cage spectacle which is being held as part of the annual celebration Bayugan’s 11th Charter Day and Bayugan Festival.
NCAA runner-up Lyceum, composed mostly of its Team B players, is also determined to make some noise while Visayan powerhouse schools, University of Cebu and Southwestern University-Phinma, and Mindanao force Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan are also in the mix.
“For the past eight years, it has been customary for us to treat our constituents with a very exciting and highly-entertaining basketball action to make our Charter Day and Bayugan Festival celebrations more memorable and meaningful,” said Bayugan Mayor Kim Lope Asis.
“And we take pride for this being the biggest sporting event not only in our province but perhaps in the entire Mindanao region,” added Mayor Asis, who also tapped multi-titled tactician Van Halen Parmis as tournament organizer.
The eventual champion will receive P200,000, with the first- and second-runner up taking home P150,000 and P100,000, respectively. Consolation prizes of P75,000 and P50,000 will be given to the fourth and fifth placers.