San Beda University junior coach Manu Inigo was given a tough task to form a champion caliber team to represent the country in a prestigious school-based, under-14 basketball competition that drew 16 nations in the Asia and Pacific region.
At that time, San Beda University was entered in four age categories in the Manila Brotherhood Basketball League, where coach Inigo handled the U-17 and U-14 SBU teams.
Speed, accuracy, determination, ceiling and patriotism were the primary characteristics he looked for in order to form a powerhouse cage team in an international arena.
These characteristics were shown by his San Beda University-Taytay Under 14 team, which reigned supreme in the MBBL of Erick Kirong. The team was composed of promising kids, slasher Prince Alao, playmaker Lanze Ronquillo, power forward Nathan Manarang, shooter Jomel Yap and young bigman Marion Glenn Alcera, among others.
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With the core of this U-14 team and the help of Coach Inigo’s deputies VL Sandalo and Andy Memos, he was able to form Team Pilipinas SBU for the 2018 Pacific Rim NCAA Basketball Championship in Bangkok, Thailand. That team was completed with the selection of towering Alcera to man the paint
The young Alcera, whose father Glenn was a varsitarian in Samar Province during his prime, took the rare opportunity to play for the country by heart and the result was an amazing performance that proved to be one of the keys in the team’s successful title run.
Alcera, who will be a sophomore next year, gave his best during the training up to the actual competitions in Bangkok, Thailand and played well beyond what was expected of him. Team Pilipinas faced tough opposition in their division from the elimination round en route to finals against home team team Thailand Chulalongkorn University.
Unfazed by the physical game of the Thai big men and the hostile crowd, Alcera ably faced the challenge defensively and offensively by shooting elegantly at the perimeter, even as tournament MVP Alao, Ronquillo, Manarang,Yap and other Team Pilipinas’ role players did the rest in outplaying the Thais, 50-40, for the crown.
“It’s really different playing for the country for the first time. I’m very proud I delivered and gave my share in honor for our country. Masarap po palang maglaro at magtagumpay para sa bansa natin,” said Alcera, who is on track with his dream of playing in the NCAA and UAAP, and eventually the Philippine Basketball Association and even Gilas Pilipinas in the future.
And with the support of his parents, coaches and trainers, the 14-year-old Alcera, who first played for Sienna College in Quezon City, could very well fulfill his dream.