Cebu Classic in one of their MPBL games. | Cebu Classic Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Rocky Alcoseba, son of the late Cebu basketball icon Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba, has voiced his frustration over the struggling campaign of the Cebu Classic in the ongoing Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
This came after Cebu absorbed a brutal 131-65 loss to the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters on Thursday night—a lopsided result that not only drew the ire of MPBL fans but also deeply disappointed Alcoseba.
Cebu currently sits at 24th in the league standings with a 4-11 win-loss record and has lost four straight games. Worse, the team has reportedly been fielding just six players due to alleged internal issues.
Their loss to Batangas was arguably the worst beating of the season. Batangas’ Philip Paniamogan, a fellow Bisaya from Cagayan de Oro, torched Cebu with 46 points, including a whopping 15-of-24 shooting from three-point range, along with five assists.
Dennis Santos led Cebu with 22 points, eight rebounds, and one assist. Ladis Lepalam tallied a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds, while John Paul Martinez added 13 points.
But for Alcoseba, the team’s current campaign is far from the Cebuano brand of basketball that once defined the island.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Alcoseba reminisced about how the Queen City of the South once prided itself on a strong basketball tradition—led in part by his father, who steered the M. Lhuillier Jewellers to numerous championships.
“Wherever Cebuanos play—be it in local leagues, Manila circuits, or international arenas—opponents know they’re in for a battle. ‘Basta Bisdak, gahi ug isug jud na.’ That saying lives on through the current generation of Cebuano standouts,” Alcoseba wrote.
“But now, it’s incredibly disheartening to witness what’s unfolding with the so-called Cebu Classic. A team that carries the name of our beloved island—and by extension, our basketball legacy—should be a source of pride. But instead, we see a roster barely filled, games lost by blowouts, and an effort that doesn’t come close to reflecting the talent and tenacity Cebuanos are known for,” he added.
“This isn’t just a disappointment. It’s a disservice.”
Alcoseba, who has an upcoming grassroots-based and women’s basketball tournament dubbed the Visayas G-Hoops here in Cebu, did not mince words in calling out the team’s management.
“This team was meant to showcase the deep pool of talent Cebu has long produced. Instead, it has become a shadow of what it should be. To the team’s management and ownership: this is your responsibility. Step up. Do better. Either rebuild this team in a way that truly honors Cebu, or drop the name entirely. Cebuano basketball deserves more than this half-hearted representation.”
Meanwhile, Jerome Calatrava, a former team official of the Cebu Sharks—the first Cebu-based MPBL team backed by International Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IPI)—shared similar sentiments. He stressed that a Cebu team in the MPBL should be owned and operated by people who truly understand Cebuano basketball.
“As a Cebu-based sports enthusiast, I believe all teams representing Cebu should be based here and owned by Cebuano companies. It’s hard for outsiders to truly grasp Cebuano basketball culture,” said Calatrava of the Omega Boxing Gym. “If there are internal problems, they should resolve them within. At the end of the day, they’re representing our city.”
Calatrava added that the Cebu Sharks franchise is not defunct but merely on leave. He revealed they are waiting for a new and capable backer to bring the team back to the MPBL.
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