The 1st Mayor Lionel Bacaltos Cup Basketball Tournament gets underway today at the Sibonga Sports Complex even as Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy is questioning the participation of some of the league’s member schools in the said tournament.Tiukinhoy said he was not informed by any of the teams and by organizers about the tournament nor was it brought up during their board meeting Thursday evening. Tiukinhoy also said that all he is asking for is a formal invitation from the organizers so as to create formality between them and the school owners. The participating Cesafi schools are the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras, Don Bosco College (DBC) Greywolves and the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars. The non-Cesafi teams participating are the Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology (SCSIT) Skyblazers and the Asian College of Technology (Act) Cyber Knights. UV head coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug and SWU athletic director Ryan Aznar, however, said their participation in the tournament that does not need official permission from Cesafi. “Sir Eddie (Gullas) wants us to play and we are just following orders. Its the prerogative of school owners to decide whether the team will play or not. Besides, the Cesafi has yet to start so we are free to play,” said Cabahug. Aznar, on the other hand, said that they could not turn down the invitation of Sibonga Mayor Lionel Bacaltos since he is an alumnus of SWU. “Playing in this tournament is not an issue. There is no conflict here because the Cesafi is still in its off-season,” said Aznar. Bitter rivals UV and SWU clash in the main game right after the first game encounter between the ACT and DBC. A rivalry had developed for UV and SWU after they figured in two championship meetings this year. The Cobras completed an upset when they stunned the Green Lancers in their championship battle of the National Students Basketball Championship (NSBC) last March. The Green Lancers then returned the favor by beating the Cobras in their titular showdown in the 2nd Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA) last May. UV head coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug said the Green Lancers will be using this tournament as part of their preparation for the upcoming Cesafi tournament, where they are the seven-time champions. CORRESPONDENTS CALVIN D. CORDOVA AND JONAS PANERIO | 
