Sinclair U-22: Taal, Pagsanjan fancied

MANILA, Philippines - Taal, Batangas and Pagsanjan emerged as the top two contenders for the championship of the Sinclair Basketball Super League Under-22 National Finals, which unfolds today at the Laguna Sports Complex.

National coordinator Darren Evangelista made the consensus after seeing how the two teams stood out during the city and regional nationwide eliminations held the past three months.

With the field down to the final eight, the two teams supported by Tom Apacible and Fr. Richard Panganiban (Taal, Batangas) and Laguna Gov. ER Ejercito (Pagsanjan) are considered the favorites to dispute the title and the P100,000 cash prize.

“Based on what we saw, Taal and Pagsanjan have the edge. The Taal team boasts of tall players while the Pagsanjan squad has a good system and chemistry,” said Evangelista in Filipino during the PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate last Tuesday.

“But you can’t underestimate the other teams. This is finals and anything can happen,” he added.

Others who qualified for the National Finals dubbed the “Gov. Jeorge ‘ER’ Ejercito Estregan Cup” are Erbie Fabian-Southern City College (Zamboanga), Tangalan Aklan team (Province of Aklan), Lyceum of Subic Bay (North Luzon), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (NCR), Sorsogon City (Sorsogon), and San Pedro (Laguna B).

Evangelista was accompanied in the session presented by Shakey’s and the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. by Laguna sports official Albert Abarques and Sinclair executive Delmond Mercado.

Abarques said the province of Laguna is making all stops to assure the success of the tournament that runs until July 7.

“The hosting of the Sinclair Basketball Super League is just the first step in Governor Ejercito’s aim for Laguna to be a sports oriented province,” he said, noting the province now has different sports facilities that include baseball and football stadiums, track and field oval, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a polodrome, archery and firing ranges, and an athletes village.

Mercado for his part said Sinclair is proud to have repainted hundreds of barangay courts around the country in the entire duration of the tournament sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Evangelista said there will be drawing of lots during the Nationals Finals opener to determine teams that will be bracketed in Group A and B.

Format will be a single round robin with the two best teams from each group disputing the championship in a winner-take-all match.

The second best teams in each group on the other hand, will vie in the battle for third place.

Runner up will receive P75,000, third place gets P50,000, and fourth place P25,000.