SK cagefest returns in Mangaldan 

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

AFTER an absence of five years due to the lack of interest of the former Mangaldan SK federation president in basketball, the town’s new SK federation prexy Charlene Joy Flores is reviving the annual cagefest dubbed this year as “Bakbakan 2012 Matira ang Matibay Basketball Tournament.” Competitions already started last January 14 at the Macario Ydia Development Center (MYDC). Twenty four out of 30 barangays are participating with defending champion Maasin showing again its dexterity, determined to retain its crown by clobbering darkhorse team Amansabina, 95-53, on the opening day.

I could not be at the opening ceremony but I was there before the traditional parade to supervise the Buenlag team (my barangay) which my oldest son Jazy is co-sponsoring, and also to teach my youngest child Raisa, 17, how to manage the two-month tourney, particularly the administrative matters that she, as tournament’s technical director, has to attend to. I believe the validation of age and residency of players will be completed before the first round ends.

After three days of competition, the hoopfest continues to run smoothly, thanks to the support of the Danny Villanueva and Cris Casupang tandem to Raisa and to the league. My daughter is optimistic that the project will be successful barring any basketball brawl that could happen. I say this because it’s not unusual to see basketball fanatics end up in brawls during matches that eventually mar the competitions. Blame it on impulsive emotional players.

“In every game there are winners and losers” as the saying goes.  To my fellow Mangaldanons who were unable to watch the hostilities, here were the lucky ones. Aside from Maasin, the other winning teams were Poblacion, Bantayan, Guesang, Buenlag, Bateng, Tebag, Navaluan, Guilig and Alitaya in their second game. The hapless teams (so far) besides Amansabina were Anolid, Alitaya (first game), Banaoang, Lanas, Nibaliw, Guiguilonen and Landas.

Organizers say skirmishes are on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays feature only two games starting at 5:30 p.m. See you there at MYDC.

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Congrats to the Lyceum Northwestern University (LNU) Dukes quintet for winning their match against the dreaded Binalonan-based University of Eastern Pangasinan (UEP), 64-59, during the Villasis Goodwill Games held January 15. The Duque-owned Dukes, coached by Angel C. Gumarang, are bound for Cebu City on April to represent Region 1 in the National PRISAA Games. But it was the other way around for the University of Pangasinan PHINMA Flames who succumbed to Urdaneta City-based Pan Pacific University of the Philippines (PUNP) by three points in the second game. The Flames represented Panagasinan-Dagupan during the 2011 Philippine Colleges Champions League (PCCL) Region 1 game but unfortunately lost to the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) of Vigan City, 92-75. 

If plans won’t miscarry, the planned Palarong Media will push through as scheduled on February 11 at the LNU gym and at the CSI Warehouse, according to Andy Estrada, the overall chairman of the meet. Sports like basketball, badminton, bowling, chess, volleyball and table tennis will be contested among the participating media people from Pangasinan. The revival of this media-sporting event was initiated by sports lover Atty. Gonzalo Duque, president of the Pangasinan Press Club. I have been assigned to chair the table tennis tilt. See you there. 

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. GALATIANS 5: 25-26.

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