Largest and nicest game

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

LAST Sunday and Monday, three sports championships were held for us.

One in international boxing and one each for national and provincial basketball competitions.

In the international sphere, Filipino boxing icon Manny Paquiao retained his WBC (World Boxing Council) super featherweight international crown through a unanimous decision victory over arch-enemy Chicano Marco Antonio Barrera last Sunday.

In the national scene, the La Salle Green Archers scored a humiliating and stunning upset by sweeping the best-of three championship series over previously unbeaten University of the East Warriors to capture the coveted  UAAP crown this year, also last  Sunday.

In the local field, last Monday, Pangasinan’s dreaded college basketball squad the University of Luzon (UL) Golden Tigers retained its tiara by subduing the 2005 titlist, University of Pangasinan (UPang) Webczars, in the third and final game of the best-of-three Mayor Al’s Cup finals’ series.

I was there and watched that exciting and thrilling match between the legendary rivals. I believe that the final encounter of these two giant educational institutions of northern Luzon was the largest as far as attendance is concerned and the nicest of all the games that they ever fought in the history of Pangasinan PRISAA.

The largest because of all the games that I covered starting year 2000 of this annual meet, the venue, the Dagupan People’s Astrodome which could accommodate at least 5,000 people in attendance, was over the capacity and some of the spectators even sat beyond the rectangle lane.

People from all walks of life, particularly the school students of this city and suburbs came to cheer, jeer, yell, howl and loudly laughed off an announcer’s booboos and comical acts in the hard court.

It proved to be the best game played unlike the elimination rounds, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the first two games of the finals, which were marred by big controversies due to some bum calls made by the less-competent referees that fueled fisticuffs among the players and a fumed assistant coach and eventually resulted into suspension and banning of one of the team mentors. The last game was perfect at wala kang masasabi, ika nga.

And what really surprised me was the very good officiating by the referees in that monumental match that no one in the coaching staff in either team ever complained, a sign of approval of all their calls.

The three referees—I believe they’re internationally licensed and hired from the UAAP board in Manila—were impeccable, a big disparity compared to the Baguio City whistle blowers who were error-prone and ruined the image of the beautiful tournament.

A lanky guy and an avid follower of PRISAA games whom I met after the game, named Aries Morales from barangay David, Mangaldan said malaki talaga ang pagkakaiba ng Manila referees kumpara sa mga locals natin. Marami na akong nakitang basketball games at sila ang the best sa lahat nang nakita ko.

I believe him. And to echo what he said, I also already watched thousands of basketball games in my life, including in Guam and Texas, and so far, they’re the best.

It’s sad that they came late. The earlier imbroglio could have been avoided if the league organizers invited them earlier, even just for the semis and finals.

Well I know that it’s really expensive to hire such court officials. But like what I said before, we have to sacrifice, not to be thrifty and niggards, because the reputation of the league is always at stake.

This is what I do in all the bike races that I’ve been organizing to please the people concerned especially the participants.

Without meaning to boast, I’ve not heard of any negative comments from anybody pertaining to the races that I organized and directed, then and now.

Nada y nunca because I always went at great lengths to ensure the safety of the cyclists and my image.

I hope and wish those referees will officiate again next year for more success of the league.

Congrats!

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/)