Sports Eye
Finally played and done
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
PERHAPS prompted by my piece two weeks ago, the organizers of the Mangaldan cagefest “Sarag Mi Ni” Inter-Barangay Basketball Tournament for 40 years old and above, decided to finally stage the second game of the best-of-three championship series last Sunday (August 2) at Macario Ydia Development Center. As expected, the highly favored Guilig which won the first battle thumped the Anolid squad, 90-74, anew to sweep the series and pocketed the P10,000 top prize, with Anolid receiving the 2nd prize, P7,000.
I played with my village team Buenlag briefly eking out a 97-93 hard earned victory over the determined Poblacion quintet via overtime, 82-82, all. Buenlag earned P4,000 for its effort and Poblacion received same cash prize. It was not really the money that counted as much as the honor of winning from among the four arch rivals that mattered most. The four received a trophy each.
Last Sunday’s skirmishes was a resounding success and my big thanks to Aje Cabrera and Dr. Jing Torralba for coming to the rescue to save the tourney. Without the two, the league finals would have ended without a closure, and remembered as a shameful event.
To make up for lost time, Cabrera assured the town folk that there will be more cage tourneys before the yuletide season. He said the proposals will be under his watch and will be supervised by Municipal Consultant Torralba. My reliable source said four categories will be contested namely for 18 years old and below, for 21 years old and below, open age and again, for the 40-year old and above category.
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My heartfelt congratulations to the Pangasinan Team’s Girls Division for winning the gold medal in the 3×3 basketball Luzon leg. According to the team’s assistant coach, Kelly Sespeñe, the tournament was for those who were born in year 2000 and onwards. The four-girl Pangasinan squad was composed of Julie Mae Mamaril, Gensan Fermin, Julie Manzano and Jenny Nabong, all natives of Lingayen, defeated co-finalist Mariveles, 12-9. “We almost failed the semis by beating Tayabas by a hairline, 11-10,” said Sespeñe. “Our girls’ determination, perseverance, hard work and composure contributed a lot to win the gold. This honor is for our province Pangasinan,” he added. The Pangasinan lasses were under head coach Nicholets Ramos. Their next mission is to win the national championship that will be staged in Cebu City on November 27 to December 2. I will be there.
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Kudos to my first child Jazy for being the new head coach of Edna’s School of Dagupan City and to Angel Gumarang as the sports consultant of three Edna’s Schools (Dagupan, San Carlos, Alaminos) with Joseph Torio Gonzales as the sports/athletic director. Jazy is also the president and chairman of the board of Jazysports, with Gumarang as the project director.
My congratulations too, to our three local cyclists who won medals in this year’s Philippine National Games recently held in Tagaytay City. Firstly to my townmate Daniel Ven Carino of Barangay Landas for winning the 138-kilometer road race in the 15-17 year-old category and to Jay Limpawog of Villasis for capturing the 18-21 years old division. Resty Servito of Urdaneta City (and a protégé of Roy del Prado) bagged the bronze medal. Keep up the good work boys and I believe you will be the next generation of Pangasinenses that will bring home more laurels to our province in professional cycling.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Romans 6: 9-10
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