ASIALINK-Iloilo Doctors College withstood all their opponents to clinch the championship of the 1st Marielle V. Basketball League held recently at the La Paz Plaza Gym in La Paz, Iloilo City.
While it seemed to be a walk in a park for the squad after sweeping their elimination round matches and also winning their semifinals and finals matches, head coach Philip Doce Punzalan said otherwise.
“Akala lang siguro ng iba na madali lang dahil na-sweep namin ‘yung mga opponents namin. But the team prepared hard for each of the match. Talagang pinaghandaan namin,” Punzalan told the Buzzer Beater.
He added: “We are just fortunate that all of our hard work, our extra training and planning worked on our favor. And also it also helped na almost half of my players were from IDC so blending the team chemistry was not that hard.”
In the elimination round, AsiaLink swept all their matches against Voiceless Marielle, Filominians Villa, Team Protech, GVCS and Medicare arming them with a twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals.
However, AsiaLink did not seem to need the incentive as they blew past Team Protech in the semifinals, setting up a gold medal match with Voiceless Marielle Warriors.
In the gold medal match, AsiaLink needed to withstand a tough challenge from Voiceless Marielle Warriors before eking out with a 77-73 victory to complete its unbeaten run in the month-long tournament.
Cedie Eraga was the high point man for AsiaLink in the finals with 23 points, while Denry Rodriguez and Alexander Parcon had 16 and 10 points, respectively. Jay-R Seguia carried the fight for Warriors with 28 markers.
Also part of the winning team are Roque Dupa, Arfie Orbita, Raymark Arguelles, Kent Quitayen, Jade Bryan Jardio, Jay-R Samones, Jake Fuertes, Bryan Andrade, Adrian Iargo, Ian Doce and Chester Militar.
With the tournament now done, Punzalan said his players now shift their focus on IDC’s campaign in the tertiary level of the Iloilo Schools Sports Association Basketball Meet.
IDC advanced to the best-of-three finals of the ISSA Meet where they will battle top-seed John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU) starting on Monday at the Western Institute of Technology Gym.
“Yes we are in the finals of the ISSA Meet so the players cannot relax pa and, in fact, we are now working double time in terms of our training dahil John B. is not a push over,” Punzalan said.
“Good thing lang at we were able to participate in Marielle League where we were able to battle with some experienced players. Malaking tulong din ‘yun sa development ng mga players namin,” he added.
“I am just hoping that the players can carry the momentum of our win here in Marielle League sa ISSA Meet. We have a good coach naman for IDC in coach Gerardo (Mosquera) so I am confident we can keep in step with John B.,” he concluded./PN
