PSL 18-U tournament official Paul Joven (fourth from right) holds the champion’s trophy along with UC Webmasters athletic director Jessica Honoridez (fourth from left) during a simple turnover ceremony. Joining them was UC Baby Webmasters head coach Jover Samonte (third from right) and his players. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters decided to skip the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) 18-U Visayas Leg to focus on their student-athletes academics.
This was officially announced by the Baby Webmasters’ head coach Jover Samonte after their athletic director, Jessica Honoridez, advised them to focus on the student-athletes studies since they had already dominated the qualifying tournament last month.
It can be recalled that Samonte’s Baby Webmasters finished the qualifying tournament of the PSL 18-U with an unbeaten record of 7-0, which automatically qualified them for the main tournament which kicked off earlier this week.
“Nachampion na namo ang Visayas qualifiers. Ang next step namo kay amo usa gipafocus sa school among mga players kay exam week na ra ba unya finals na. Dili sad pwede mosuffer ang mga players namo academically. Magsige na lang unya mi og duwa, magproblema na unya ba,” said Samonte.
(We already became champions of the Visayas qualifiers. Our next step is to let our players focus on the schooling because it is already exam week and it is already their finals. We don’t want our players to suffer academically. We will then just be always playing and then we later will have a problem.)
“Na finalize na namo nga we have to focus sa studies para sa mga bata, close naman gud ang finals sa ilang eskwela, ug padung na mahuman ang school year,” he said.
PSL champion’s trophy
The Baby Webmasters defeated the Sherilin Khalifa-Naga, 92-87, in their last remaining game during the qualifiers to emerge as the top team of the tournament.
READ: Consolacion Sarok Weavers U18 squad logs 45-point victory in PSL
In fact, they received a champion’s trophy from the PSL to recognize their stellar campaign.
“Proud kaayo ko sa akong mga players for giving their best. All out jud sila ba. Naa jud sila killer instinct until the end sa clock. Mofight jud sila, mao na akong giexplain nila to have the killer instinct. Bisan naa pa time gamay, ato gyud gihatag tanan. Ing-ana ta ka disciplined mohuman sa games,” added Samonte.
(I am so proud of our players for giving their best. They also went all out. They have a killer instinct until the end of the clock. They will really fight, that is what I explained to them to have the killer instinct. That when there is still a little time left, we will give our all. That is how disciplined we are in finishing our games.)
UC Baby Webmasters: Mission accomplished
Samonte said that another reason they were skipping the PSL 18-U was they would be facing the same teams they had beaten in the qualifying tournament.
For him, they had already accomplished their mission which was to top the tournament, and facing the same opponents in the regular tournament would be kind of repetitive.
“Para nako nachampion naman mi. Moskip lang mi sa PSL U-18. Humana man among game sa PSL. Naa na sad another round, kaning regional. Mao ra gihapon among mga kontra. Nahuman namo ang tournament, 7-0 na mi. Nangapildi na namo sila nakadecide si Mam Jessica mofocus sa eskwela usa,” said Samonte.
(For me, we have already become champions. So we will just skip the PSL U-18. Our game in the PSL is already finished. There is also another round, the regional. Our opponents are just the same. We finished the tournament, 7-0. We had already beaten them, Maam Jessica decided for the players to focus on the schooling for now.)
READ: UC bags 3rd place trophy after CIT-U withdraws from Moalboal hoop tournament
Cesafi pre-season
Samonte said that their next best target would be the Cesafi pre-season which would be slated somewhere in July or August.
It will be his team’s first acid test, especially his new recruits from Ormoc in Waki Larrazabal and Stephen Pagalan whom he discovered during the OCCCI D-League pres-season tournament in February.
“I’m preparing for the Cesafi pre-season. Mao na man na among next step nako para sa full season sa Cesafi. Naa pa series of tryouts. Naa ta players gipangscout sa ubang lugar atong naadtuan. I’m happy and it’s an honor to try in PSL. Naexpose sad nako ang mga players, happy sad ko sa mga bata nipakita sila sa ilang duwa,” Samonte said.
(I’m preparing for the Cesafi pre-season. That is our next step for the full season of Cesafi. We have a series of tryouts. We have players that we scouted in places we went. I’m happy and it’s an honor to try in PSL. I had exposed the players, I am happy with what the kids showed in their game.)
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