By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

PANGASINAN’s popular basketball squad, the multi-titled University of Luzon Golden Cubs, extended its winning streak to nine wins sans loss and only just one win away to notch the province-wide coveted diadem in this year’s “Excellent Noodles Cup DBL Pangasinan Inter-Town/City/School U18 Basketball Tournament 2022.” They nipped the unbeaten Eastern Conference winner Alcala quintet, 99-96, via overtime, 90-90, last November 20 at Alcala’s home court to take the first tiff in the best-of-three championship series.

The well-oiled quintet of former Dagupan City Councilor Chito Samson under the tutorship of Gilmark Meneses that topped the Central Conference is the only untainted squad in the league, so far, and heavily favored to win the tiara. UL climbed the championship ladder by clobbering anew the Pangasinan Merchants Marine Academy (PAMMA) five, 79-63, at the Binmaley Catholic School gym last November 19 while Alcala scaled the championship the hard way by edging Eastern Conference arch-rival Asingan, 100-96. As of this writing, the two finalists will collide anew in the Finals on November 25 at the DWAD gym in Dagupan City. In case Alcala wins, there will be a third game and venue and date will be known later, according to the league’s chief organizer Dr. Edil Abalos.

I was not at the Alcala gym last Sunday (November 20) and simply received the results of the first game of the best-of-three championship series from the league’s chief organizer Dr. Abalos thru text messages – UL won the match, 99-96, in overtime, 90-90. UL flashy guard/forward Christian Esberto doing the most damage against Alcala with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists that resulted in his being chosen as the “Excellent Player of the Game” and received incentive gifts from Jeverps Manufacturing Corporation (JMC), maker of the sponsoring Excellent Noodles. Abalos also texted that Asingan pinched PAMMA, 81-78, to grab the second runner-up plum. Asingan’s wily point-guard Mark Angel Fabia was selected as the “Excellent Player of the Game” and likewise received incentives.

As of this writing Thursday (November 24) my cut-off-date, the two title battles (boys and girls categories, Alcala beat Umingan in the first game, 84-70. (Story will be in our next week issue.)

Many believe the well-trained and more skilled UL boys will wrap up the Finals because of their home court advantage. Let’s wait and see. See you there up to the third game to see if Alcala wins its second confrontation.

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After three years of absence the pet project of Mangaldan town chief executive Bona de Vera Parayno called “TakBona” held for six consecutive years (2013-2018), will come back on November 26. She said she plans to continue the project after regaining her seat as the top honcho of the town. According to my son, Jazy Fernandez Garcia, the sports consultant of our town Mangaldan, he categorized foot race is exclusively for bona fide residents of Mangaldan, and will run in four divisions, 3k, 5k, 10k and 500 meters for seven year-old-and-below kids. Garcia also said the race will start at 5:30 a.m. in front of Mangaldan Municipal Hall and will end in the same place after passing though Barangays Poblacion, Bari, Malabago, Guilig, Lanas and Salay. Garcia added that trophies and medals are at stake and registration will be free. All contestants will be given free t-shirt each. See you there.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it soon cut off, and we fly away. PSALMS 90: 10

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