Single leg planned for second conference of VisMin Super Cup

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Expect a more exciting second conference of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup. 

The league’s head of basketball operations Chelito Caro said that the second conference is tentatively scheduled to kick off on October 25, 2021 in Pagadian City.

In an interview with CDN Digital, Caro said they will now hold a single leg that pits all the teams from Visayas and Mindanao in a single conference and will be divided into two divisions; Visayas and Mindanao.

“Exciting kaayo atong format sa next conference kay mag abot na tanan teams from Visayas and Mindanao sa usa ka leg,” Caro said. 

“One venue for all, didto gihapon sa Pagadian and tanan teams magduwa sila in a single round elimination. We will still declare the Visayas division and Mindanao division champions. Expect gyud ang mga basketball fans ani nga grabe gyud ang bakbakan ani sa duwa.”

NEW TEAMS

Caro said that several teams have already reached out to them to join the second conference.

According to Caro, teams from Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay, Bacolod, Iloilo and Surigao have already shown their intent to field in their respective teams. 

“One week ra gyud akong pahuway ani kay molarga dayon ko sa Surigao para istoryahon nako ang team didto kay gusto sila moapil. Ang Ipil nag ka initial talks nami basin modayon sila ug apil. Sa Visayas nag ka istorya nami sa teams sa Bacolod ug Iloilo. Mao na akong priority karong offseason ang pag finalize sa mga bag-o nga teams moapil,” Caro revealed. 

TEAM TO BEAT

With the complete domination of the Jumbo Plastic-Basilan Peace Riders in both the Mindanao leg and the first Southern Finals, Caro believes most teams are focused on figuring out a way to beat them. 

“Ang barometer karon sa mga teams kung unsaon nila ug pildi ang Basilan. Very interesting kaayo atong next conference sa October,” said Caro.

Basilan went unbeaten (13-0) in their run to the crown. 

He revealed that the Visayas leg contenders, the ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes, will start training next month to redeem themselves after losing to the Specialists in the Visayas leg semifinals last April Alcantara town, southwest Cebu.

Also, the Pagadian Explorers and the ALZA Alayon Zamboanga are set to start their training camps next month. 

BIRTH PAINS

Caro admitted that they faced tremendous adversity in organizing the league’s maiden season that started amid a global pandemic. 

The league was smeared with a controversy of alleged “game-fixing,” which resulted in the Siquijor Mystics’ banishment and the suspension of multiple players from the ARQ Builders. 

READ: VisMin Super Cup lifts Senining’s suspension on 3 conditions

The Mindanao leg was rescheduled several times after its host City, Pagadian, implemented stricter quarantine status due to  rising COVID-19 cases. 

READ: Top VisMin Super Cup official hopeful Mindanao leg will open as scheduled

It forced them to transfer to another venue in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, which was later abandoned after several game cancellations due to the unplayable condition of the court. 

READ: VisMin Super Cup game stopped due to slippery floor

Also, two Mindanao teams, the Iligan City Archangels and the MisOr Brew Authoritea, withdrew from the league for different reasons. 

The Archangels withdrew from their Mindanao leg campaign due to “internal reasons,” while the Brew Authoritea was plagued with multiple injuries that badly depleted its roster.

Despite all the setbacks, the league completely served its purpose: to provide a livelihood to Filipino basketball players affected by the pandemic. 

On top of that, the league finished its maiden season full of potential to grow bigger in the coming years. 

“It was very challenging, subidahon kaayo ang start nato kay naay pandemic. Pero napangitaan namo ug paagi ni Rocky (Chan) nga makasugod gyud para sa mga basketball fans. Grabe ka challenging para namo mga organizers ang mga naagian namo along the way,” said Caro. 

/bmjo