Cebu City logs crucial team victories in PNG

CEBU City scored impressive wins in team events Saturday as the 2014 Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)-Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Philippine National Games got off to a roaring start in different venues in Manila.
The Niños won in sepak takraw, rugby-football and 3-on-3 basketball.
Cebu City also bagged a bronze medal by finishing third in Underwater Hockey behind eventual champion Puerto Princesa and silver medalist Lucena City.
Cebu City’s most impressive performance on opening day though, belongs to the Cebu Lady Dragons, which claimed three straight wins at the Nomads at the Marikina Riverbanks.
The Lady Dragons first crushed UMAK Lady Herons, 10-0 then routed MAAP Warriors-B, 26-0 before pulverizing the QCPU Lady Questors, 31-7.
The Cebu Lady Dragons is composed of Michela Alerta, Jessica Asentista, Jessica Filoteo, Marie Antonette Gambito, Eloisa Jordan, Paerly Laude, Marilou Luceno, Rizza Malinao, Mary Margaret Royo, Astrid Sadaya, Madille Salinas, Barbie Silada, Mae Ann Ubaub and Dixie Yu.
The city’s sepak takraw squad composed of the University of the Visayas’ Erec Dean Cabrera, Roymie Camacho, Henry Danlag, Lord Kevin Largado and Arnold Niedo, blasted their Manila counterparts in straight sets, 21-12, 21-14.
3-ON-3 CAGERS SHINE
Not to be outdone, the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors’ 3-on-3 basketball team of coach Ope Abellana then bashed host Marikina City, 15-7. The team is made up of Jeanjacque Antigua, John Martin Galinato, Kint Malazarte and Mark Andry Ting.
The Cebu Dragons rugby-football team then duplicated their female counterparts’ impressive start by blanking UMAK-A, 19-0. The team is led by Rey Apostol, Junerey Boybanting, Jerry Branzuela and Matt Canillo.
Meanwhile, also seeing action at presstime yesterday are Cebu’s bets in chess, boxing, arnis and athletics.
The 2014 PNG formally opened yesterday amidst pulsating color and inspiring performances from the Philspada Wheelchair dancesports athletes.
PSC chairman Richie Garcia, during his opening remarks, said that this year’s promising performers will have a chance to join the national training pool. More than 5,000 athletes are competing in 54 disciplines this year.
“In the PNG, promising athletes can have a chance to prove themselves since they will be competing against our elite athletes. If they [young athletes] can prove themselves, then we will recommend them to the concerned NSA for inclusion since they will decide on who will be included in their respective lineup. Our job in the PSC is just to provide funding,” Garcia said.