Sports Eye
Dukes failed to clinch the slot
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
UCAAP champions the Lyceum Northwestern University Dukes, representing our province in the just concluded Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) North-Central Regional Championship demonstrated a splendid play in its first three games by routing its two opponents the Vigan City based University of Northern Philippines, 102-62, and University of Baguio (UB), 80-58, and nipped arch-rival LA Finns Scholastica of San Fernando City, La Union, 73-72.
However, it failed to trample defending champion Lyceum of Subic Bay (LSB) of Zambales losing by nine points, 74-83! That loss caused the Tapuac-based Dukes to lose the opportunity to clinch the championship slot via triple-tie FIBA rule quotient system. The LA Finns, LSB and the Dukes got identical records, three wins and one loss, during the elimination round and because of the huge nine-point gap they suffered against the hefty Zambalenos, they paid dearly for it.
They battled fourth placer UB for the final third place finish and luckily eked out a 81-78 win against the visiting highlanders, one ladder lower on than their last year’s finish at the expense of LSB. This time, LSB successfully defended its crown by trouncing the raging LA Finns in overtime, 85-74, last Wednesday.
After the tourney I received a text message from a certain Eduardo Mejia from Malued insinuating that the Dukes were simply burned out. I called my friend Ahikam Pasion, a die-hard Dukes follower and asked him what he thought went wrong. He said “I think we need to develop a tall, legitimate center to deny and intimidate the enemies.
We also committed more turnovers than our enemies in the crucial last period and I believe that hugely contributed to our downfall,” Pasion explained. He could be right because he’s very knowledgeable about the basics and fundamentals of basketball competitions. Anyway, that’s now all water under the bridge and they must plan early for the 2015 season.
The Olongapo City boys will travel to Tanuan City in Batangas to do battle with the Southern Luzon-Bicol champion Naga College Foundation and other Luzon qualifiers like De La Salle University, Jose Rizal University, Centro Escolar University, Diliman College, St. Clare and University of Perpetual Help from November 7 to 10.
They will clash for PCCL’s last seat of the “Elite Eight” stage qualifying games with the seven teams that already qualified, namely, UAAP champion National University, NCAA titleholder San Beda College, Far Eastern Univesity, Arellano University, CESAFI winner South Western University, University of Visayas and San Carlos University. They came, they saw and they conquered us. Amen.
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By the time you read this piece I’m might be already in Cebu City with my buddy and barangay mate Antonio Jimenez, Jr. to watch the World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight title fight between defending champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes and WBO number five ranked challenger Carlos Velarde of Mexico at the Watefront Hotel and Casino.
Also in the card dubbed as the “Pinoy Pride 28 History in the Making” is the former world flyweight contender Milan Melindo who is moving down to light flyweight (108 lbs.) division to face world-rated Saul Juarez also from Mexico.
Albert Pagara, the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) Intercontinental bantamweight (122 lbs.) king will be pitted against other Mexican banger Raul Hilares, and former number one world contender AJ “Bazooka” Banal to tangle against Maxsaisai Siththong of Thailand while former WBO minimum weight (105 lbs.) titlist Merlito Sabillo meets Indonesia’s Faris Nenggo.
It’s an all star-studded cast and I believe we’ll enjoy the matches. Yes, my big thanks to my Cebuano cycling friend the wealthy Ames Urgel for the accommodation. Stories about the fights will be printed here.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. PSALM 32: 9
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