Two wins, 2 losses for Pangasinan Heatwaves
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
OUR province’s team ‘Pangasinan Heatwaves’ in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) returned to Calasiao Sports Complex last May 31 with another vengeance. This time it repulsed the highly rated Paranaque Patriots, 68-60, to the delight of the big hometown crowd. Our local boys showed their intensity and huge determination to win this time, like they did last April 27 when they clobbered the visiting Marikina Shoemasters, 80-68 in the same venue, unlike what happened in their third game here succumbing to the Binan, Laguna quintet, 72-75. But what was amazing about our local boys in that game was despite their trailing behind by 20 points in the third quarter of the match, 38-58, they engineered a strong and marvelous rally in the fourth quarter that made them the heroes of the game even losing it by just three points. I saw how the Pangasinense crowd gave them the morale booster with their thumbs-up, amid loud cheers that even the league’s commissioner, the former PBA standout Kenneth Duremdes was so impressed. I will never forget that splendid comeback effort by our Pangasinan squad. Many Pangasinenses even predict that our young less-experienced squad will be better prepared next year. That’s also my same thought.
Like their first three games at Calasiao Sports Complex, I watched the fourth hostility with my son Jazy and his family and media photographer Jun Figueroa. Surprisingly, Pangasinan outgunned the Paranaque boys scoring 21 points in the first quarter letting the Patriots to score a mere 9 points. Patriots came back diligently in the second period outrebounding Pangasinan, 19-12, and outscoring, 36-23, to stay at bay, 45-48. Paranaque committed four costly errors in the third canto while Pangasinan Heatwaves committed two, but with two blocks and two steals and protected its slim lead up to the fourth and last period eventually beating Patriots by eight points, 68-60.
Pangasinan, after its 10th game, is now carding three victories with seven defeats while Paranaque now registered seven wins with four losses, as of June 5 this year.
In the first game of the day, Iloilo routed Imus, 95-82, and South Cotabato trimmed Quezon City, 65-62, in the second skirmish.
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The much-awaited mountain bike race in my town Mangaldan, the “2nd Mejia Cup Mountain Bike Challenge ed Mangaldan 2024” will definitely be held on June 8. (I’m making this piece on June 6 and so by the time you read this piece, the bikefest would be already be over and results will be published here next week). According to my son Jazy Fernandez Garcia who will handle the race directorship, the bikefest will be sponsored by the town’s sports-minded and generous public servant Vice Mayor Marl Stephen de Venecia Mejia. It will start and finish along the national highway of Barangay Amansabina, with cash prizes, trophies and medals at stake. Starting time is between 7:30 a.m. and no entry fee for the contestants. Jazy also pointed out that the men’s open category and the master’s division (50 years old and above) are exclusively for Mangaldan bonafide residents while the men’s open division is for Pangasinan cyclists only. Of course, valid ID cards must be presented to avoid discrepancy. He added said that minor age participants must have their parent’s consent. Distance of the race is approximately 50 kilometers traversing some barangays of Mangaldan and neighboring town Mapandan. See you there.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord. LEVITICUS 19: 28
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