Sports Eye
3rd Governor’s Cup cagefest
By Jesus A. Garcia, Jr.
ELATED by the overwhelming success of the first two editions, sports-buff Gov. Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III did not think twice about launching the third season of Governor’s Cup Pangasinan Inter-Town/City Basketball Tournament, his brainchild sports project. He has tentatively scheduled it to kick off on November 24.
As in the past two years, I attended the general meeting for this cagefest last October 9 at Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) in Lingayen where the rules and regulations for the next tourney established by the league’s overall commissioner Dr. Edilberto Abalos of SBP Region 1. It was attended by team’s coaches, managers and coordinators and some players from 23 towns and cities.
Abalos stressed the players’ eligibility: a natural Filipino citizen born between January 1, 1994 to December 31, 2000 and should bring proof of legal age during the screening day, i.e., original birth certificate authenticated by Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). He also emphasized the need to establish residency of the player by presenting his voter’s certification in the last May 2018 Barangay and SK elections of the town/city he represents. He clarified that new applicants for registration and other voter-related applications will also be conditionally accepted to play in the tournament on condition that the player submits his certificate of registration or other voter-related application is approved, no more than one week upon the release of approval from the COMELEC. Failure of a player to submit his certificate of registration is tantamount to disqualification and all games won by his team where the player has played will be forfeited in favor of their opponents.
Abalos added that national or varsity cagers may be eligible to participate in the tourney but not the professional (PBA) and the Developmental League players for obvious reasons.
Those were the vital issues that were discussed and clearly explained by Abalos. Other rules discussed were lifted from the world governing body FIBA.
Towns and cities that attended were Alaminos City, Anda, Sual, Basista, first champion Binmaley, Bugallon, defending champion Lingayen, Bayambang, Calasiao, Malasiqui, Mapandan, San Carlos City, Sta. Barbara, two-time first runner-up Manaoag, Alcala, Bautista, Sto. Tomas, Urdaneta City, Villasis, Sta. Maria, San Nicolas, Tayug, and my town Mangaldan.
According to Pangasinan Sports Development and Management Council (PSDMC) deputy officer Marlon Domalanta, to fairly balance the competition, the tournament will be divided into four groups, A, B, C, and D. Domalanta said Group A will be spearheaded by titleholder Lingayen, Group B will be bannered by first runner-up Manaoag, Group C will be led by 2nd runner-up Urdaneta City and Group D will be fronted by 3rd runner-up Alaminos City. Domalanta also said that there will be no team entry fee, (to the delight of the teams) but a ‘playing bond’ of P10,000 is compulsory and subject to refund only after the game unless serious violations, penalties, fines are not settled.
See you there.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the Kingdom of God present with power.” MARK 9: 1
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