It’s basketball season again

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

TOWN and barangay fiestas are being held everywhere in the province. And during fiestas, it’s tradition to hold different forms of entertainments, sports activities among them, primarily basketball, considered as the numero uno favorite sport of Filipinos. In fact in my town Mangaldan alone, a lot of basketball competitions had already been held like in barangay Bateng and Amansabina to name a few. Some other barangays like my village Buenlag, Anolid, David, Alitaya Osiem, Maasin, Bantayan, Gueguesangen are preparing to conduct competitions too in conjunction with the celebration of their respective fiestas. And after these barangay fiestas, the municipality of Mangaldan will also hold an inter-barangay basketball championship organized by the town’s new SK federation headed by its president Charlene Joy Flores.

In Dagupan City, the 2nd Jimmy Fernandez Cup is already in progress. Organized by well-known basketball project director Seato Gonimil, seven institutional teams are involved in the hostilities spearheaded by the defending champion, Pangasinan Merchant Marine Academy (PAMMA) Sea Lions. Surprisingly, the league’s greenhorn entry, the University of Eastern Pangasinan (UEP) based in Binalonan with nom de guerre Patriots, is currently leading the standings with four victories sans loss after four days of skirmishes. The team is owned by the youthful and sports-minded Binalonan hizzoner Ramon Guico III. Like last year, I attended the opening rites held at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome on January 7 with my partner Phil Celi and both of us have never missed any of the battles so far. The two-round-robin clashes have now moved to another venue, the DWAD gymnasium.

In the western side of the province, Alaminos City-based photo journalist Jun Figueroa informed me that the First Board Member Nong Fontelera Jr. Cup 2011 opened last January 8. Five teams originally gripped for the title, namely: Infanta, Mabini, Bani, Anda and Dasol. Figueroa said the tourney is now in the semifinals and Infanta and Dasol were already booted out. Figueroa also said host Mabini took the first slot for the finals with its unblemished card.  Bani and Anda will fight for the second finals berth and the winner will face Mabini starting January 17 in the best-of-three championship series.

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I was touched by the photo that was printed here last week about the January 9, 1945 landing of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Lingayen Gulf. It was taken in front of the old San Fabian town hall. I was touched because my father, the late Jesus Rivera Garcia of Pharr, Texas, was one of the U.S army soldiers who landed at the White Beach in barrio Mabilao, San Fabian. We don’t like war because war kills. But I’m not a hypocrite and I am not ashamed to admit that no matter how ironic it seems, I thank the Second World War because if not for it, I would probably not have been born. Amen.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,’ “And, ‘in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. Luke 4:9-13

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