Ceralde, the basketball referee

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

UNLIKE the previous years, Dagupan City-born basketball referee Jorge B. Ceralde did not officiate this year’s PRISAA-UCAAP Inter-Collegiate Basketball Championship due to his previous and more important commitment to blow his whistle in Metro Manila caging particularly the prestigious National Colleges Athletic Association (NCAA) Basketball Championships. He’s now a bona fide member of the National Amateur Basketball Referees Organization (NABRO), the bloc that officiates national esteemed amateur competitions like the NCAA, Flying V Filoil Games, Father Martin’s Cup, Quezon City Athletic Association (QCAA), Milo Best SBP Pasarelle, Women’s Basketball League (WBL) to name a few, all in the junior divisions.

CERALDE

It was his city-mate and now NABRO Region 1 commissioner Jon Cansino who took him to Manila to be given the break and luckily passed the strenuous test that NABRO project director Rolando B. Omampo had given him. He’s now licensed to officiate in any national event in the country. Who knows, he could be an international referee in the long run, which is his eventual dream in basketball.

“There’s a big difference when officiating in Manila compared to officiating in the province or even in the region,” said the five-foot-eight Ceralde. “Every time you officiate in Manila, you can feel the strong intensity and tension of the game. These make you very alert very wary of committing mistakes because for sure you’ll receive a lot of boos, jeers, catcalls and coins and plastic water bottles will certainly fly to the court for each bum call,” Ceralde explained.

I believe him. I’ve seen a lot of incidents like that on TV during the NCAA and UAAP games especially in the playoff and championship matches. That seldom happens here.

I criticized Ceralde in this paper during the 2007 Mangaldan Inter-Town Basketball Championship for committing many bum calls. That was during his raw days in officiating. But the humble Ceralde knows how to accept a ‘constructive’ criticism, and is always ready to admit his mistakes and learn his lessons. He developed professionally and has moved on to the national circle.

I could be wrong but as far as I know, he’s the only national referee from Pangasinan based in Manila today. But not content with his professional career, the 36 year-old Ceralde is working on mission in life. He said he wants to serve his barangay mates and aims to have a seat in this coming barangay election as kagawad in Bonuan Gueset where he was born and raised. He’s running as an independent candidate and is confident to win, being the son of Roque Ceralde and Estrellita Besa Cruz, a famous clan in Bonuan Gueset. In fact, he’s the cousin of Bonuan Gueset chairman Angelito Ceralde Gumarang. Good luck, guys.

* * *

“You cannot win them all,” as they say. And it happened to the University of Luzon Golden Tigers, landing only third in the PCCL North-Central Zonal Championship held in Vigan City last weekend. The Tigers defeated the host University of Northern Philippines but bowed to the University of Baguio and to the defending champion Lyceum of Subic Bay. University of Baguio defeated Subic, 95-92, to wrest the crown.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I and My Father are one.” “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 10:30 and 14:6.

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