True to form, the San Beda Red Lions got back at the MIT Cardinals, 71-65 in game 2 of the title series of the NCAA Season 99 Men’s Basketball championship to forge a winner-take-all match this coming Sunday, December 17, 2pm at the Big Dome.
The boys of Mendiola played the Cardinals’ Game 1 playbook to the hilt, taking and giving out the same physicality their Muralla-based rivals employed the whole of Game 2. And at the same time, they managed to keep their focus on what was at stake and why their season should extend to a Game 3.
Calling all Bedans out there, if you have nothing to do this Sunday, wear red and go to the Araneta Coliseum and rally behind our team, our school and of course, our Red Lions! The Designated Kit Man will forgive you if you miss tuning in to our radio program, Larong Pilipino, aired live over DZME 1530. This exemption includes my classmates from Philosophy and Letters batch ‘92 and former professors Cadz Malbarosa and Honor Cabie. Kidding aside, here’s hoping that my beloved Red Lions will win championship number 23 this 2023.
Go San Beda fight!
Speaking of fighting back, our teams in the ongoing AFC Champions League (AFCCL) and AFC Cup have suffered one heavy defeat after another.
Newly-minted Copa Paulino Ancatara 2023 champs, Kaya FC Iloilo, remained winless in the AFCCL. The Iloilo based-ballclub suffered a 1-3 beating at the hands of Incheon of South Korea at home the other day to remain at the bottom of Group G of the biggest club football competitions in the region. Simone Rota scored the lone bright spot of the game for the Pinoy side after falling 2-0 even before the end of the first half.
After playing their last game in the group fixtures, Kaya remained scoreless in the tournament, losing all of their six matches in the competitions. Kaya’s losing streak in AFCCL has been going on for more than 20 games now or so, if The Designated Kit Man’s reckoning is correct.
In the second tier of Asian club competitions, Dynamic Herb Cebu FC and Stallion Laguna FC are in no better positions too. Combined, the two clubs have earned five points in the tournament in 11 games. The Gentle Giants are currently third in Group F with four points or a win, a draw and three losses in their five games.
Stallion, on the other hand, has only a point in six games to bring the rear in Group G. Both teams are already eliminated from advancing in the knockout phase.
Judging from the way the Philippine sides have fared in the competitions, is it safe to assume that we are really behind compared to clubs playing in different leagues in Asia? Not to offend the sensibilities of our local clubs and their fans, but results would tend to show that it is the case. Just the same, we can’t belittle the fighting spirit and passion of Kaya, Cebu and Laguna in representing the country in the biggest stages of club competitions in the continent.
Speaking of the local domestic league, reports say that several teams are raring to join the Philippine Football League (PFL) next year. Several clubs were mentioned, to include a former champion and three or four more, that have signified interests in joining the PFL in 2024.
The Designated Kit Man also heard that a new team, supported by a local government unit, is on its way to registering with the PFL to be able to compete too.
If these rumored reports come into fruition, then we can expect a better and bigger PFL tournament next year. Let’s pray for this to happen because a healthy, more competitive and bigger local domestic league will definitely impact the preparations of our national team, the Philippine Azkals, not only in the World and Asian Cup qualifiers but in future tournaments as well.
A short chat with Azkals’ head coach Hans Michael Weiss said the team is currently moving heaven and earth to recruit more players in the team. “We are moving big time as far as recruiting is concerned,” he revealed. But knowing how tedious and cumbersome the process is, this may take a while. I’m also hoping that the new leadership of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is one with this move in getting new players for the team.
An identification camp in the United States, just like what the Filipinas did a few weeks ago, will definitely boost the chances of the team in finding new Azkals. North America is teeming with so many potential Azkals just waiting to be tapped and invited to show their capabilities and perhaps help them also with their documents and papers. But again, doing this is no cheap expense for the PFF. So calling on big companies to help the national men’s football team, wag lang po sana puro sa basketball lang ang mga investment ninyo. Our national football teams also need your support and love.
For something more certain, several players of Los Angeles Galaxy in the Major League Soccer are set to make an appearance on December 16 (Saturday), at Tuloy sa Don Bosco in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Sponsored by Herbalife, the US-based players will share their insights on health and wellness and conduct a scrimmage with kids of the Tuloy Foundation.
And as always, be with us at Larong Pilipino, your favorite weekly sports program aired live over at DZME 1530 Khz from 2 to 3:30 p.m. this coming Sunday, December 17, 2023 with The Designated Kitman, Chino Trinidad and Cong. Butch Pichay for another great show. We also expect a new kakampi, in short a sponsor, in the show soon. Tara mga Kalaro!
Stay safe. Stay happy peeps!
For comments or questions, you can reach The Designated Kit Man at [email protected] or follow his account at Twitter: @erelcabatbat