Sir Shaquille Imperial of the KCS Computer Specialists-Mandaue City shoots the ball against a defender from Tubigon Bohol Mariners during their match in the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup last April 14, 2021. | VisMin Super Cup Media Bureau
CEBU CITY, Philippines—From Cesafi, to the VisMin Super Cup, to the FilBasket.
Cebuano crafty guard Sir Shaquille Imperial has indeed gone a very long way in his basketball career.
This as the 5-foot-10 guard from Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu is set to suit up for Medical Depot in the inaugural season of FilBasket, an amateur league founded by former Ateneo Blue Eagle Jai Reyes.
Imperial, who played for the reigning Cesafi men’s basketball champion Southwetern University, has mixed emotions with this development.
“Excited and nervous dili mawala na sa ako-a kay bag-ong liga and labi na bag-ong team, bag-ong kauban,” said Imperial, who averaged 8.0 points, three assists, and four rebounds per game with the VisMin Super Cup Visayas leg champions, the KCS Computer Specialists Mandaue City.
Imperial is expected to play a huge role with Medical Depot in the Filbasket.
In the VisMin Cup, Imperial had an impressive performance in Game 1 of the VisMin Super Cup Visayas leg finals in May, wherein he scored 16 points to lead the Computer Specialists in beating the MJAS Zenith Talisay City Aquastars. They would eventually win the title.
READ: Shaq Imperial: Built For Big Moments in VisMin Cup
For Imperial, basketball fans should expect the same intensity and competitiveness they’ve seen from him in the upcoming FilBasket inaugural season.
“Expect lang na makapag compete kami labi na ako mga kauban mga bisaya actually daghan bisaya sa among team so we will prove na palaban ang mga bisaya,” said Imperial.
Imperial teams up with fellow Cebuanos Patrick Jan Cabahug, Reeve Ugsang, and Dawn Ochea in Medical Depot.
Ugsang and Cabahug are teammates in the Aquastars, while Ochea was one of the highest scorers for the ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes in the VisMin Cup.
The team’s head coach will be Aldin Morante, the head coach of the Aquastars.
“Yung leadership ko and experience sa pag duwa og basketball labi na offense and defense,” said Imperial when asked what can he contribute to Medical Depot.
“We will try our best na maka compete first sa liga as of now, naa deri ang mga mga players na magagaling, talented, pros, ex- pro and mga nag champion na sad sa mga uban na liga.”
Meanwhile, Imperial said he would return for the second season of the VisMin Super Cup, despite the uncertainty of the KCS team which was officially put up for sale during the off season.
/bmjo